2019 Speakers

Miriam Akhtar MAPP is a leading practitioner of positive psychology and one of 100 global experts invited to contribute to The World Book of Happiness and The World Book of Hope.

Miriam was one of the first positive psychologists in the UK. She graduated with Distinction from the MSc in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP), a course set up by Prof Martin Seligman to make the world a happier place. Miriam was a founder member of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and the Centre for Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP).

Miriam works as a trainer, coach and consultant. She founded Positive Psychology Training to offer short courses in positive psychology combining the essential knowledge and tools in a format that works for busy lives. The open courses include the highly-regarded Positive Psychology Masterclass which has regular dates throughout the year and the online Positive Psychology Foundations. Other courses for work and well-being are tailored to organisations and delivered in-house.

Miriam is the author of 6 books including the ground-breaking Positive Psychology for Overcoming Depression, which has been recommended by Prof Neil Frude, founder of Books on Prescription. A bibliotherapy study conducted at Sheffield Hallam University has shown that the book works as well as CBT. Another book What is Post-traumatic Growth takes readers on the journey through adversity and shares resilience tools from positive psychology. Her latest work, The Little Book of Happiness, will be published in July 2019. Miriam has contributed chapters to The World Book of Happiness, The World Book of Hope and Gratitude, How to Appreciate Life’s Gifts. She is one of the featured experts in Psychologies‘ Real Calm.

Miriam is an expert voice on the science of happiness. She is is on the Top Santé list of the ‘100 Names You Need to Know in Health & Well-being.‘ She has a reputation as a highly-engaging keynote speaker and has presented at conferences and events at home and abroad. Her strengths in communication were honed during an earlier career in the media. She has won the Medical Journalists Association Gold Award and a Sony Gold Award while at BBC Radio 4 and the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco Film Festival while at Channel 4. Miriam has made many appearances across BBC radio including Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Off the Page & Sunday. She is a regular guest with Dr Phil Hammond on BBC Radio Bristol’s Saturday Surgery.

Miriam has appeared on BBC News, ITV News and as a contributor to BBC2′s Secret Life of the Airport and written for dozens of the UK’s leading publications.

Sessions

How to Travelproof your mind

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

How to Travelproof your mind

We know business travel puts our physical health under pressure by disrupting sleep patterns, affecting our diet and battling jet lag, but what about our minds? High-pressure environments coupled with long periods away from loved ones in unfamiliar territory is a cocktail for poor mental health, so what can we do about it?

Positive psychology is the study of optimal functioning and applies the knowledge and tools to help people and organisations flourish. Productivity and purpose go hand in hand and high performance has been proven to correlate with high well-being across major industries. Happiness is seriously good for your business travellers.

Learn how you and your travellers can build mental resilience and awareness through clinically proven practical methods for inner strength and wellness in this eye-opening seminar.

and Airbus Defence and Space. Geoff has also managed travel programmes for HP and Intel in the UK.

He has spoken at many travel conferences, and has been a judge for The Business Travel Awards.

Geoff is married, has 4 grown up children, leads a youth church and enjoys cycling.

Mia Andersson

Principal

Festive Road

Mia Andersson

Principal

Festive Road

Mia is an experience Business Travel leader who has worked in the business travel & meeting industry for more than 25 years. In January 2017 Mia joined FESTIVE ROAD, the travel and meeting engagement agency, to work with the supply- side client base with “inside the mind of the buyer” insights and perspectives and the client-side community on strategy and traveller engagement programmes.

Before joining FESTIVE ROAD she managed the award-winning AstraZeneca Global Travel Programme. Having led both supply and demand teams she brings lots of experience on how to effectively manage the value from all areas within the travel value chain. With her strategic, structured and passionate approach she builds trust and successful relationships at all levels. She has a track record of procurement strategy and development planning, global TMC RFPs, implementing a global T&E tool and creating cost effective travel programmes with a win-win focus for both suppliers and buyers.

Mia was awarded The Global Business Travel Association Master Honors in 2016 for “Outmost commitment, engagement and leadership in the business travel industry”.

She sits on the GBTA EMEA Advisory Board, is also the Chair of the Swedish Business Travel Association (SBTA) and has also been the Co-chair for GBTA Europe Aviation Committee for 3 years.

Sessions

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

The range of skills and knowledge needed by successful travel managers is widening more than ever. Data science, technology strategising, marketing and HR are all becoming increasing parts of the mix, not forgetting procurement, finance and good old-fashioned emotional intelligence. Why is it all changing and how can you acquire the skill set you’ll need to thrive in the 2020s?

Simon Antoniou

Consulting Sales Director, EMEA

American Express Global Business Travel

Simon Antoniou

Consulting Sales Director, EMEA

American Express Global Business Travel

Simon is an MBA qualified, Executive-level Sales Leader with more than 13 years’ experience managing multimillion-dollar sales cycles for a diverse range of businesses, leveraging a broad understanding of multi-sector market dynamics and customer needs to meet and exceed revenue and P&L objectives. With experience working for agile start-ups including rapid growth technology company Croud, he has combined corporate experience with ‘real-world’ business building success to offer a broad business acumen and unique understanding of organisational drivers.

Initiating his executive career in Australia with market leader P&G prior to his most recent career with AMEX Commercial Payments and then GBT Consulting, spanning 7 years. Simon combines best practice sales leadership and performance management experience with an entrepreneurial fire and passion for relationship development, balancing commercial savvy and creative capacity to define strategies and solutions that improve customer, and business outcomes.

Sessions

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

What’s going to happen to air and hotel pricing in the year ahead? And what and where are the major risk hotspots likely to be? Don’t miss our ever-popular crystal ball session that sets out what every travel manager should be thinking about for the rest of 2019 and beyond.

Bernadette Basterfield

Global Category Leader - Travel/Living & Fleet

GE

Bernadette Basterfield

Global Category Leader - Travel/Living & Fleet

GE

Sessions

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

Underpinning your travel programme with monolithic, one-size-fits-all, end-to-end technology is so last-century! Today, you need to plug, play and integrate traveller and management tools from a wide variety of established tech players and start-ups. That’s the theory, but what’s the benefit and how can companies with all sizes of travel spend do it in practice?

Ian Bates

Commercial Director

Greentomato Cars

Ian Bates

Commercial Director

Greentomato Cars

Sessions

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

With safety, savings and service being the main concerns for travel buyers, it can be surprising to find taxi travel often left off the agenda within corporate travel policies. As the traditional expense model makes way for more sophisticated mobility requirements, on demand transport networks are thankfully now primed to deliver. During this session our panel of travel experts will discuss how a defined ground transport policy can help businesses control costs, improve traveller wellbeing and increase passenger safety, alongside the potential pitfalls to ignoring this crucial mode of transport.

Simon Bennett

Consultant

Simon Bennett

Consultant

Simon has 20 years’ experience in the travel industry, and is currently working as a consultant on behalf of the Advantage Travel Group.

In his role at Key Travel he was a member of the senior leadership team; his responsibilities included negotiating specialist airfares with the world’s largest airlines, developing in-house technology and managing an innovation roadmap that underpinned the business strategy.

From 1999, Simon spent 7 years with lastminute.com as Head of Air, where he helped to steer the Online Travel Agent (OTA) through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), overseeing a huge growth in air revenues in doing so.

Sessions

Choosing a travel management company and other partners

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Choosing a travel management company and other partners

TMCs and hotel booking agencies streamline the booking process and help you gain control and visibility of your entire travel spend. But with hundreds of service providers to choose from, how do you find the one that’s right for you, and how do you structure the relationship to get the very best results?

Corinne Beranger

Global Marketing Manager

Amadeus

Corinne Beranger

Global Marketing Manager

Amadeus

Corinne is global marketing manager in the Corporations division of Amadeus, based in Sophia Antipolis, in France. Before joining Amadeus 4 years ago, she worked for 16 years at SWIFT, the global secure messaging and IT services provider for the financial industry. She has spent most of her career in product management and marketing but also held positions in Finance, HR, Sales and partnerships management, which give her a broad understanding of the challenges faced by corporations. Corinne holds a degree in commercial and management engineering from UCLouvain FUCaM as well as a post graduate degree from the Solvay Business School in Belgium. A Belgian and French dual national, she has worked or studied in five different countries and travelled to more than 50. Corinne is passionate not only about travel but also new technologies, innovation, personal development and well-being. She is a certified coach and practises sport very regularly.

Sessions

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

Businesses increasingly appreciate that keeping travellers healthy, happy and safe is essential to meeting core strategic goals like productivity, recruitment and retention, and risk management. But how can you actually measure and then manage well-being? And can you do it without breaking the bank?

Marine Bergeron

CWT Solutions Group

Director

Marine Bergeron

CWT Solutions Group

Director

Marine Bergeron is director at CWT Solutions Group – the consulting branch of CWT. Marine has more than 8 years’ experience in purchasing management within the business travel industry, first as a travel buyer in the finance sector before moving to CWT as a consultant.

Her current role involves leading a team of consultants to sell CWT Solutions Group services and to ensure client satisfaction through efficient project management and delivery.

Sessions

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

Better data and marketing skills are helping travel managers to segment their travellers, or business divisions, into profile groups, each of which is then managed and helped in the way that’s right for them. Hear from the pioneers of this brand new approach to travel management.

Rajesh Bhundia

Partner

EY

Rajesh Bhundia

Partner

EY

Financial Services Business Traveller Risk Leader - Raj is our Financial Services Business Traveller Risk leader. He has led successful implementations of global business traveller risk engagements for a number of large global organisations. He has over 10 years of experience working with clients to bring his insights into the risks associated with global business travel.

Sessions

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

With Brexit on the horizon, no one really knows what the future holds. But whatever the outcome, your employees will still need to travel both locally and globally. And of course, duty of care should be top of mind. Whether you’re dealing with a delayed flight, lost wallet, medical emergency or tax implications from frequent travel, preparation is the key to protecting your employees. Join our panel discussion, with experts from across the travel industry, for top tips that you can take back to your business.

Martin Biermann

HRS Innovation Hub | HRS Group

VP Product Development

Martin Biermann

HRS Innovation Hub | HRS Group

VP Product Development

VP Product Development at HRS, CTO at HRS Innovation Hub

Martin Biermann is responsible for product strategy and innovation in HRS. An engineering executive with a background in data-driven analytics, Mr. Biermann leads HRS' global team of product management, programming and product marketing professionals. HRS leverages big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain and other leading technologies to drive more accuracy, transparency and performance for corporate hotel programs. Mr. Biermann held several software engineering and leadership roles before joining HRS in 2016; he has worked for leading technology companies such as Dropbox, Evernote, Rocket Internet and T-Systems. He's an expert on pertinent travel industry growth areas, including mobility tools, data analytics and marketing automation. Mr. Biermann earned computer science degrees from the Universities of California (San Diego) and Potsdam. He resides in Berlin, Germany.

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

David Bishop

Gray Dawes Group

David Bishop

Gray Dawes Group

Dave Bishop is the Commercial Director of Gray Dawes Group, one of the fastest growing TMC’s in the UK, whose turnover has increased by over 650% in 4 Years. Gray Dawes Group are at the forefront of NDC adoption in the UK and are leading the retail revolution in corporate travel management. Dave started his career in Banking and has spent the last 20 years in the Travel Industry with both TMC’s and a start-up Tech company. He has managed roles in Finance, Sales, Commercial Strategy and Product Development

Sessions

Choosing a travel management company and other partners

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Choosing a travel management company and other partners

TMCs and hotel booking agencies streamline the booking process and help you gain control and visibility of your entire travel spend. But with hundreds of service providers to choose from, how do you find the one that’s right for you, and how do you structure the relationship to get the very best results?

Lena Bjorkman

Global Travel Manager

Basware

Lena Bjorkman

Global Travel Manager

Basware

Based in Espoo, Finland, Lena Björkman has led the global travel program at Basware for over 2 years. Basware is the global leader in providing purchase-to-pay and e-invoicing solutions in the world of commerce, employing 1400+ people globally. Within travel management Lena is responsible for the operational, stakeholder and supplier management, policies, payment solutions and continuous improvement, with a focus on travel behavior. Previously she has worked for Nokia and Microsoft Mobile.

In the spirit of ‘essentialism’, what are the fundamentals when it comes to running a successful multi-country travel programme from a Travel Management and Procurement perspective?

Michèle Boulonois

Contract Manager Business Travel

ING

Michèle Boulonois

Contract Manager Business Travel

ING

Michèle has 30 years’ experience in the hotel, meeting & event and business travel industry. After graduating from the hotel management college she started her career in a hotel in London. In 1997 she joined ING as a meeting and event planner for internal meetings and events. She is now contract manager for business travel. In her current role she is responsible for managing the business travel program from an operational to a contract management and stakeholder level. Her focus areas are the travel management company, airlines, hotels, payment solutions, online booking tool and travel policy.

Sessions

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

The range of skills and knowledge needed by successful travel managers is widening more than ever. Data science, technology strategising, marketing and HR are all becoming increasing parts of the mix, not forgetting procurement, finance and good old-fashioned emotional intelligence. Why is it all changing and how can you acquire the skill set you’ll need to thrive in the 2020s?

Katy Bowling

Group Travel Manager

Mears Group

Katy Bowling

Group Travel Manager

Mears Group

Katy Bowling is Group Travel Manager for Mears Group, specialising in policing of travel policy and hotel programme negotiation. She has worked in corporate travel for 14 years, starting at the hotel booking agency NIS Europe, which later became part of Expotel and then Capita, where she spent eight years progressing from operations to supplier management and then looking after the rate negotiations department. Kat moved on to business development at STA Travel doing Business Development and then a smaller HBA before finally joining Mears.

A well-crafted policy is at the heart of any successful corporate travel programme. But what goes into that policy can vary massively depending on your company’s goals, supplier network and culture. Our experts will provide some practical advice to help you, whatever the size of your business and create effective rules designed to fit your needs.

Rüdiger Bruss

Global Category Manager, Travel & Mobility Services, Purchasing Dept

Continental AG

Rüdiger Bruss

Global Category Manager, Travel & Mobility Services, Purchasing Dept

Continental AG

Rüdiger Bruss is the Global Category Manager for Travel & Mobility Services in the purchasing department of Continental AG, one of the largest tyre producers and automotive suppliers in the world. He is leading a worldwide team of purchasers and is responsible for global supplier management, definition of product group strategies, and alignment of purchasing policies with internal stakeholders.

Prior to assuming responsibility for worldwide travel and fleet procurement in 2008, Ruediger worked in indirect materials, capital goods, and production material purchasing within Continental's automotive division.

Ruediger holds an MSc in International Business from the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands. In November 2011, he was appointed to the European Advisory Board of the Global Business Travel Association.

Sessions

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

Brexit, Trump, trade wars, oil price, Russia, China ... there’s no shortage of major trends on the world stage with the potential to disrupt corporate travel wherever you are based. Learn how the big issues might play out over the next few months and what you can do to future-shock your managed programme.

Simone Buckley

CEO

Fello

Simone Buckley

CEO

Fello

Simone joined Fello in October 2017 as Group Chief Executive Officer to manage the merger of two well established travel management companies, World Club Travel and Sandy Row Travel, and to launch the new Fello brand. Fello is a premium quality, ruthlessly efficient travel management company that focuses on the business traveller first. Post launch Fello was positioned 42nd in the Buying Business Travel leading TMCs listing and highlighted as a top 10 fast track organisation.

Prior to this Simone held the CEO position at ITM responsible for the commercial and strategic success of the association. The ITM represents more than 3000 buyer and supplier members from the travel industry and is the UK partner of GBTA.

Previously Simone held the position of Managing Director at Capita Business Travel where she was responsible for the strategy, sales and overall management of the company targeting both the public and private sector. During this time she was appointed onto the Executive Board of the GTMC where she chaired the Surface Transport Working Party and worked diligently with her peers on leading industry initiatives.

Simone has both national and global experience previously holding senior positions at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Rosenbluth International and HRG.

In 2016, Simone was inducted into the AWTE Influential Women in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality honours list.

Sessions

Ten quick wins to get you started in travel management

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Ten quick wins to get you started in travel management

Getting a travel programme off the ground or reinventing the current one? Join this session for a quick-start guide to the key facets of managed travel: from safety, policy, performance, risk and more — discover what you can do to ensure your programme is in tip-top condition.

Tim Burgess

UK Country Manager

Uber for Business

Tim Burgess

UK Country Manager

Uber for Business

Tim joined Uber’s leadership team last year as UK Country Manager for U4B. Tim is a seasoned commercial leader in both tech and telco markets. His background in B2B sales extends 15 years with 7 years leadership experience gained at BT and LinkedIn. Tim has built several world class enterprise sales teams, he helped launch BT Onephone and recently spent 3 years as Head of New Business at LinkedIn.

He quotes: "Uber is a once in a generation company digitally transforming the way the world works. To be part of a business that is using technology to create opportunity is something I’m extremely proud to be part of”

Sessions

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

With Brexit on the horizon, no one really knows what the future holds. But whatever the outcome, your employees will still need to travel both locally and globally. And of course, duty of care should be top of mind. Whether you’re dealing with a delayed flight, lost wallet, medical emergency or tax implications from frequent travel, preparation is the key to protecting your employees. Join our panel discussion, with experts from across the travel industry, for top tips that you can take back to your business.

Tim Burgess

Head of UK

Uber for Business

Tim Burgess

Head of UK

Uber for Business

Tim joined Uber’s leadership team last year as UK Country Manager for U4B. Tim is a seasoned commercial leader in both tech and telco markets. His background in B2B sales extends 15 years with 7 years leadership experience gained at BT and LinkedIn. Tim has built several world class enterprise sales teams, he helped launch BT Onephone and recently spent 3 years as Head of New Business at LinkedIn. He quotes: "Uber is a once in a generation company digitally transforming the way the world works. To be part of a business that is using technology to create opportunity is something I’m extremely proud to be part of”

Recent studies have shown that companies are spending 7-12% of their travel expenses on ground transport. While air and hotel programmes appear to be well under control, ground transportation as a category remains hugely fragmented, and managing spend has been challenging. Technology has helped to bring this under control while also introducing services like ridesharing that consumers increasingly prefer in their personal and, now, work lives. How can companies harness new technology to stretch their budget without sacrificing employee satisfaction?

This panel of Darryl McGarvey of SAP Concur, Jo-Anne Lloyd of Nina & Pinta, and Tim Burgess of Uber for Business discusses what a ground transport programme should cover and how buyers can balance their needs with those of travellers.

David Chapple

Group Event Director, Business Travel, Meetings and Technology Events

Centaur Media

David Chapple

Group Event Director, Business Travel, Meetings and Technology Events

Centaur Media

Sessions

Meetings Management Creative Workshop

19 February at 13:30 - 17:30

19 February at 13:30 - 17:30

Meetings Management Creative Workshop

This collaborative, informative and enlightening half day work-shop will challenge your traditional thinking, help you unblock current challenges and take your meetings programmes to a whole new level. Using the principles of ‘Design Thinking’ applied to meetings management programmes, this unique creative workshop is dynamic, fast moving and fun. Throughout the morning you will interact, learn from and work with other delegates, together with meetings management experts and suppliers. The results - you will be inspired to innovate, create new strategies and tactics and leave with new actions ready to implement when you return to your office.

What you will learn

New ideas and ways to reach your SMMP goals

New skills to challenge your traditional thinking of doing the same thing

Ways to identify alternative strategies and solutions to current objectives

How to unlock the creative SMMP strategist in you and your internal teams

How to quickly build on current plans and ideas

Create innovative ways to deal with stakeholder and programme challenges

Who should attend?

For the best results we recommend that TWO or more individuals from your organisation attend from the procurement, meetings, or travel departments and are involved in the organisation, strategy & implementation of your meetings programme.

Keesup Choe

CEO

PredictX

Keesup Choe

CEO

PredictX

Keesup Choe is the CEO of PredictX, a SaaS company using AI and machine learning to drive predictive action to leverage growth within companies.

Keesup’s particular passion is empowering stakeholders to make better decisions. By discovering meaning in their data and automating routine tasks, Keesup believes stakeholders can have both the time and improved understanding to innovate and drive company-wide growth.

Prior to PredictX, Keesup has worked in the fields of finance and software. He has run his own hedge fund and acted as head of trading for major investment banks in the City and Wall Street. He has also successfully grown startup software companies in Silicon Valley and London.

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

Kevin Christensen

Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise

Cvent

Kevin Christensen

Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise

Cvent

Kevin’ career started in the high tech industry overseeing the manufacturing of what was then state of the art “membrane switches”. This evolved into the first clear type electrical switches now known as ‘touch screens’ used on smart phones. After a successful career in production and manufacturing, he jumped into the sales world and has never looked back.

In the early 80’s Kevin joined a company that sold and distributed barcode equipment including barcode scanners and printers specifically designed to print barcodes on labels. The technology evolved and soon added RFID solutions used to track inventory and product through the manufacturing process. During this time he also set up a reseller network in Mexico, Central and South America.

For the last 10 years Kevin has worked exclusively in the event, tradeshow and conference market using RFID and other technology to track the behavior and journey of attendees. The data gathered has helped organizations better understand the areas of their event which are successful and which need improvement.

Kevin grew up in Southern California and has spent the last 30 years in Austin Texas where he and his wife raised their 3 daughters. He and Cathi have recently relocated to London to start their next adventure.

Amon Cohen

Director

TravelWord

Amon Cohen

Director

TravelWord

Amon Cohen is a specialist business travel writer. He is contributing editor to Business Travel News and The Beat, and pens a regular column for Buying Business Travel in the UK plus numerous reports and white papers. Amon is also a regular conference moderator and co-producer of the conference programme for the Business Travel Show. Amon is based in Somerset in the UK, and moonlights as stand-up bass player for country music band The Johnsons.

Sessions

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

Underpinning your travel programme with monolithic, one-size-fits-all, end-to-end technology is so last-century! Today, you need to plug, play and integrate traveller and management tools from a wide variety of established tech players and start-ups. That’s the theory, but what’s the benefit and how can companies with all sizes of travel spend do it in practice?

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

Brexit, Trump, trade wars, oil price, Russia, China ... there’s no shortage of major trends on the world stage with the potential to disrupt corporate travel wherever you are based. Learn how the big issues might play out over the next few months and what you can do to future-shock your managed programme.

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

China and India are becoming hugely important elements of multinational corporations’ global travel programmes. But managing travel in these two vast, fast-changing markets doesn’t work the same way as in Europe. Our experts give the low-down on how to get them just right.

Gehan Colliander

Global Head of Travel

Boston Consulting Group

Gehan Colliander

Global Head of Travel

Boston Consulting Group

Gehan’ s responsibility is to set the vision and overall strategic direction of the BCG global travel program, delivers the latest thinking in the areas of indirect procurement, service operations & travel technology while leading the change required to minimize travel cost and its associated infrastructure.

She has over 20 years' experience in the travel industry including airline Pricing & Revenue management with major airlines. Gehan holds a BSc. Business studies with Travel Management focus and MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University.

Gehan is a member of the GBTA Europe Aviation committee and formal president of GBTA Europe 2015-2017

Sessions

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

The range of skills and knowledge needed by successful travel managers is widening more than ever. Data science, technology strategising, marketing and HR are all becoming increasing parts of the mix, not forgetting procurement, finance and good old-fashioned emotional intelligence. Why is it all changing and how can you acquire the skill set you’ll need to thrive in the 2020s?

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

Brexit, Trump, trade wars, oil price, Russia, China ... there’s no shortage of major trends on the world stage with the potential to disrupt corporate travel wherever you are based. Learn how the big issues might play out over the next few months and what you can do to future-shock your managed programme.

Josh Collier

Head of Proposition Rail and Ground Transport

Capita Travel and Events

Josh Collier

Head of Proposition Rail and Ground Transport

Capita Travel and Events

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Felix Consbruch

ERP Integration Manager

Chrome River

Felix Consbruch

ERP Integration Manager

Chrome River

As Chrome River’s ERP integration manager, Felix is responsible for ensuring effective integration between the company’s expense and invoice automation solutions with corporate ERP systems, in particular SAP. Felix has more than 15 years of experience in business process management and technical consulting, and has deep knowledge of travel management and financial control technologies.

Prior to joining Chrome River, Felix spent many years as a technology consultant working for many of Germany’s most prestigious companies across a broad range of industries, including Audi, e.on, Commerzbank and Volkswagen.

Felix has a degree in Engineering from Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany.

Sessions

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

Underpinning your travel programme with monolithic, one-size-fits-all, end-to-end technology is so last-century! Today, you need to plug, play and integrate traveller and management tools from a wide variety of established tech players and start-ups. That’s the theory, but what’s the benefit and how can companies with all sizes of travel spend do it in practice?

Frances Cooke

Sourcing and Supplier Manager

Vitality

Frances Cooke

Sourcing and Supplier Manager

Vitality

Frances Cooke is Sourcing & Supplier Manager for Vitality, a market leading Health Life and Investment provider. Vitality’s shared value model of rewarding healthy living with lower premiums is unique in the Financial Services Industry. Frances has category responsibility for Travel, Meetings, some elements of HR and Professional Services. Prior to this her current role she spent a few years in the public sector bringing about strategic change during the height of all the budget cuts. She found this a significantly challenging but a very rewarding part of her career.

Frances spent the early years of her career working across the UK and Group for Fitness First when they were at their height during the early 2000’s, dealing with everything from mass purchasing of toilet rolls to an entire re-brand and new procurement of standardised group fitness uniform.

Sessions

The meetings revolution – Worth paying more to get a better result?

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

The meetings revolution – Worth paying more to get a better result?

Meetings are changing. Venue choices, food, room layouts and session formats are all getting exciting makeovers and production values are shooting upwards. But does that mean more expense to the company – and if so, is the extra investment justified? Or are there still ways to manage the cost smarter so that breaking the mould doesn’t also mean breaking the budget?

Tim Coombs

Managing Director

Aviation Economics

Tim Coombs

Managing Director

Aviation Economics

Tim has worked in aviation for his entire career and is currently a Director at Aviation Economics.

Prior to joining Aviation Economics in 1998, Tim worked for Aer Lingus, reporting directly to the Chief Executive, on the project that was to conclude with the airline joining the oneworld strategic alliance. He previously worked for 10 years with NatWest Markets in the top-rated transport equity research team where he carried out major equity transactions for BAA, KLM and Lufthansa, and advisory assignments for British Airways and Iberia. His first job, after leaving university with a degree in Transport Economics, was with British Aerospace in the BAe 146 sales department.

Since joining Aviation Economics, Tim has carried out assignments with a value in excess of $200bn for investment banks, private equity firms, airlines and airports. In the airline sector, he has worked on projects with Air Arabia, easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz. He has extensive experience both on the buy-side and the sell-side of airport transactions, including the new Istanbul Airport, London City Airport, Moscow Domodedovo, Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo airports. Tim also worked closely with the Heathrow Hub team on the third runway proposal.

Tim has strong links with the financing community having been engaged by banks and investors including, Aéroports de Paris, CSFB, Deutsche Bank, DVB, Macquarie, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Canada and VINCI Airports. Tim has also advised the UK’s Department of Transport on route development funds.

Tim is a visiting lecturer at City University of London where he teaches the Air Transport Economics module to MSc students, and also at Loughborough University where he lectures Airline Business Models to post- and under-graduate students.

Sessions

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

Brexit, Trump, trade wars, oil price, Russia, China ... there’s no shortage of major trends on the world stage with the potential to disrupt corporate travel wherever you are based. Learn how the big issues might play out over the next few months and what you can do to future-shock your managed programme.

Ross Cooper

Senior Business Development Manager - Travel Partnerships

Barclaycard Commercial Payments

Ross Cooper

Senior Business Development Manager - Travel Partnerships

Barclaycard Commercial Payments

Ross has over 13 years’ experience in the business travel sector, in senior sales and account management positions for Premier Inn, Avis Budget Group and HRG. He joined Barclaycard Commercial Payments in 2015 to drive forward partnership relationships for payment solutions and integrations in the travel sector, as well as developing Barclaycard’s position at the “Go to” payment provider for business travel.

Sessions

Payment innovation and the impact on the Corporate Travel Programme

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Payment innovation and the impact on the Corporate Travel Programme

Hear from the payment experts at Barclaycard discussing the changing landscape of payment and key trends including:

The changing landscape of payment and key trends (including regulation) Key Barclaycard innovation – contactless, wearables, virtual etc… Consumerisation of travel -> virtual -> digital Enabling the eco-system The connected traveller journey and how our payment solutions support the corporate buyer and the traveller at each stage of the journey.

With stints at Microsoft, Yammer, Experian and now Unbabel I have helped hundreds of businesses improve the way they engage, communicate and collaborate to achieve their objectives

Kevin Cornelius

Partner, People Advisory Services

EY

Kevin Cornelius

Partner, People Advisory Services

EY

Sessions

Solving the challenge of booking non-employee travel

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Solving the challenge of booking non-employee travel

Companies are increasingly using contractors, consultants, gig-economy workers and other non-regular employees, heaping up challenging complexities for travel managers. How do you deal with GDPR obligations, or the financial risk of 'hidden employees' if travel becomes a taxable benefit in kind? A leading tax consultant and travel manager explain how you can keep these people moving while also keeping your business compliant.

Alex Cousins

Global Director, Account Management

Reed & Mackay

Alex Cousins

Global Director, Account Management

Reed & Mackay

Sessions

Communication – how to engage travellers and other stakeholders in your travel programme

21 February at 16:00 - 16:45

21 February at 16:00 - 16:45

Communication – how to engage travellers and other stakeholders in your travel programme

Corporate travel programmes get the best results when their travellers behave right because they want to, not because they have to. It all starts with a solid communications strategy. Come and find out how best to engage your internal stakeholders.

Catarina Coutinho

Account Executive EMEA

Unbabel

Catarina Coutinho

Account Executive EMEA

Unbabel

Catarina Coutinho is Account Executive in EMEA at Unbabel, specialising in the travel industry. Catarina helps clients—particularly airlines and OTAs—to harness the power of AI in their customer support operations, delivering global customer success as they face ever-growing volumes of multilingual service interactions. For the Unbabel Blog, Catarina has written about innovation in multilingual support.

Dr Jost Daft

Project Manager

Lufthansa Group

Dr Jost Daft

Project Manager

Lufthansa Group

Jonti Dalal-Small

Head of Behavioural Science

Capita Travel and Events

Jonti Dalal-Small

Head of Behavioural Science

Capita Travel and Events

Jonti applies behavioural science to achieve business outcomes in traveller and booker behaviours that drive cost, value and wellbeing benefits. His expertise in why people behave how they do is fundamental to Smarter working, Capita Travel and Events’ market-leading behaviour-led programme which reduces unnecessary travel, and increases savings, safety and wellbeing for all necessary travel.

A qualified business psychologist, Jonti has a master’s degree in organisational psychology and extensive experience as a business change and digital transformation consultant. Drawing on a rare combination of expertise as a business psychologist and human-centred designer, he has previously delivered behaviour-based savings in a range of settings, including local government, utilities and insurance.

Sessions

Does traveller incentivisation really lower spend and help your business?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Does traveller incentivisation really lower spend and help your business?

A growing number of service providers say they are helping clients incentivise travellers to spend less on their trips. Is this one of the smartest ideas yet in travel management – or one of the dumbest? And if you do go for it, how do you get it right?

Raj Das

VP Sales & Business Development

DCS Plus

Raj Das

VP Sales & Business Development

DCS Plus

Raj Das is a successful commercial leader and business development professional with over 15 years track record of growing and transforming hotel and travel consulting businesses, leading their expansion into new markets.

He has extensive experience and proven results in growing the P&L for the consulting business at American Express in Europe. Significant cross-industry experience covering the Financial & Professional Services, Media & Technology, Pharma, Energy, FMCG, and Industrial. Raj has in-depth expertise of many areas within the travel sector – from hotel, airline, business travel management, to travel technology and online solutions. He spent many years in senior roles at Radius Travel, Amex and Carlson Wagonlit. He is currently Vice President Sales and Business Development at dcs plus.

Rupert de Saeger

Strategic Business Development Manager

AirPlus International

Rupert de Saeger

Strategic Business Development Manager

AirPlus International

With 8 years’ experience working in the Business Travel industry, Rupert is a seasoned industry professional. Having worked with some of the largest companies in the Business Travel space, Rupert has a wealth of experience when advising on how organisations can best streamline the payment and reconciliation of their corporate travel spend.

Having worked closely with notable industry leaders in the Business Travel sector, Rupert has not only first-hand experience in the payments remit, but has also spent 3 years working for a TMC, allowing him to see the larger picture when it comes to helping his clients and understanding their needs.

How can you provide an easy way for your travellers to pay for their trip while maintaining all-important control and generating the best possible data? With more options than ever to choose from today, our expert walks through the solutions that might work best for you.

Frédéric Degand

Owner

BTCS (Business Travel Consulting Services)

Frédéric Degand

Owner

BTCS (Business Travel Consulting Services)

Frédéric is a Business Travel consultant, who was born in 1972 in the French speaking part of Belgium.
As a proper “Generation Xer” he saw the arrival of PCs, mobile phones and the Internet and started his career when this technological revolution hit the travel industry in the late 90ies. His first job experience was with AMEX GBT as travel counsellor. After a few years, he switched to the corporate world joining the travel department of the worldwide Franchisor of IKEA, at the Inter IKEA Group coordination centre in Waterloo, Belgium. After a few years he was offered to take over the travel manager’s role, a very exciting and central function that kept him busy for 12 years until December 2017. With a global responsibility with around 800 travellers in 30 countries, 6M EUR spend, close to 20 000 transactions (air/hotel/train/car) per year he acquired an extensive experience about the business travel industry that he also shared as Board member of the BATM (Belgian Association of Travel Management) www.BATM.BE for 10 years between 2007 and 2017. He is now proposing his consultancy services to corporates to build or enhance their travel programmes and to suppliers to help them develop and embrace the industry with an insight view. For him, business travel management is crucial not only for its challenging financial aspects and all the potential savings to achieve but mainly because it is about caring for the most valuable asset of a company: its people.
Married and proud “young” father of 2, he is living in the outskirts of Brussels where he is raising his family and practising his other passion: music writing and playing.

Sessions

Re-thinking what success looks like for a travel manager

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Re-thinking what success looks like for a travel manager

Are the metrics for measuring your travel programme today the right ones? Is an annual comparison of average ticket price, for example, valuable insight or a totally misleading indicator? And is there more to success than sourcing and operational KPIs – traveller well-being and productivity, for example? Find out how you can really evaluate whether you are doing the right thing.

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

Better data and marketing skills are helping travel managers to segment their travellers, or business divisions, into profile groups, each of which is then managed and helped in the way that’s right for them. Hear from the pioneers of this brand new approach to travel management.

Rakshit Desai

Managing Director, India

Flight Centre Travel Group

Rakshit Desai

Managing Director, India

Flight Centre Travel Group

Rakshit is the Managing Director of FCM India and is responsible for the Indian interests of the Flight Centre Travel Group (ASX:FLT), one of the world’s largest travel retailers.

Prior to FCTG, Rakshit spent a number of years turning around and scaling up businesses for the Thomas Cook Group (LSE:TCG) in Canada, the UK and India. Previously, he was a Consultant at the London offices of Roland Berger, where he advised multinational corporations on strategic and transformational issues.

Rakshit has degrees in business related disciplines from the London School of Economics, Griffith University in Australia and Sydenham College, Mumbai. He is frequently quoted on industry and economic issues, is a regular speaker at trade events and also featured in the 2015 Edition of the Economic Times - Spencer Stuart 'top 40 under forty' business leaders list, an honour for which he, sadly, will never qualify again.

Sessions

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

China and India are becoming hugely important elements of multinational corporations’ global travel programmes. But managing travel in these two vast, fast-changing markets doesn’t work the same way as in Europe. Our experts give the low-down on how to get them just right.

Jane Dibble

Director of Business Development

Inntel

Jane Dibble

Director of Business Development

Inntel

Jane joined INNTEL in 2010 and heads up the Account Management, New Business and Marketing functions aligning Inntel’s strategy for success. In her time at INNTEL, the UK’s leading truly independent meetings and travel management company has grown organically by over xx% and year on year growth has resulted in a turnover last year of £70 million. INNTEL’s clients are some of the UK’s largest organisations, all of whom benefit from market leading technology built specifically for their meetings and travel needs. Jane has over 20 years’ industry experience, in buyer and supplier positions across a number of sectors which has helped her have a clear understanding of objectives and challenges from both sides of the fence.

Sessions

The meetings revolution – Worth paying more to get a better result?

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

The meetings revolution – Worth paying more to get a better result?

Meetings are changing. Venue choices, food, room layouts and session formats are all getting exciting makeovers and production values are shooting upwards. But does that mean more expense to the company – and if so, is the extra investment justified? Or are there still ways to manage the cost smarter so that breaking the mould doesn’t also mean breaking the budget?

Bobbi Djordjevic

Global Category Manager

Dentsply Spirona

Bobbi Djordjevic

Global Category Manager

Dentsply Spirona

Bobbi Djordjevic CMP, has a long experience within tourism and meeting industry. After many years of service in operations and sales teams of the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre and MCI Scandinavia, she joined Dentsply Sirona in 2011 as a coordinator of global events and congresses. For the last four years Bobbi has been focused on building a global Strategic Meetings Management Program for more than 1500 meetings annually organized by Dentsply Sirona.

Presently she is a member of the GBTA European Meetings and Events Committee, supporting the membership with SMMP matters, and sharing her thoughts on procurement driven approach to meetings and events strategies.

Bobbi’s current role is Global Category Manager Meetings, Events, and Tradeshows, at Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest provider of dental solutions, dedicated to empowering dental professionals to provide better, safer, faster dental care.

Sessions

Is it time to integrate transient travel and meetings?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Is it time to integrate transient travel and meetings?

More and more people who manage travel are having meetings added to their portfolio too. But can processes, policies and suppliers for the two categories be merged, or do they have to stay very separate? And is it possible to consolidate to one agency for business travel, meetings management and event production?

Aurélie Duprez

Founding Partner

Areka Consulting

Aurélie Duprez

Founding Partner

Areka Consulting

Aurelie Duprez is a founding Partner at Areka Consulting. For the past 10 years, Aurelie has assisted clients in optimizing their travel spend. Before creating Areka Consulting with 3 other partners in 2010, Aurelie used to be a Consultant operating in the consulting division of a major TMC. Today, she manages a team of 20 consultants that help their clients build their travel and expense strategies, source and implement their suppliers (airlines, hotels, TMCs, OBTs,…), and build reporting solutions to get visibility on the travel spend.

Aurelie is a specialist of global airline negotiations and business intelligence reporting.

Sandra Dvořák

Global Category Manager

British Council

Sandra Dvořák

Global Category Manager

British Council

Sandra is the British Council’s Global Category Manager for Travel and Events. She is responsible for the overall strategic management of the global travel program to align global/regional requirements, ensuring cost efficiency and user satisfaction. She leads the global strategy and initiatives across the travel category and works with local purchasing teams in over 94 countries. Prior to British Council Sandra worked for Kimberly Clark as its EMEA Travel and Meetings Category Manager.

Sandra has 20 years’ experience holding senior positions across travel, hospitality, retail and facilities management industries. Sandra started her career at LTA, an airline and travel wholesaler based in Caracas, Venezuela, taking on the role of Operation’s Manager.

Sessions

Join the culture club – Winning traveller and local management buy-in for your multinational programme

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

Join the culture club – Winning traveller and local management buy-in for your multinational programme

Getting stakeholders to follow your company travel programme requires very different approaches in Dubai, Dublin or Durban. What are the cultural nuances a travel manager has to understand across the world, and can they all be reconciled in a single policy and process?

Molly Dyson

Buying Business Travel

Digital Editor

Molly Dyson

Buying Business Travel

Digital Editor

Molly Dyson is digital editor of trade publication Buying Business Travel. She was previously editor at PA Life. She moved to London eight years ago from New York. Growing up in an army family that moved frequently gave Molly itchy feet and a passion for experiencing new destinations.

Sessions

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

What’s going to happen to air and hotel pricing in the year ahead? And what and where are the major risk hotspots likely to be? Don’t miss our ever-popular crystal ball session that sets out what every travel manager should be thinking about for the rest of 2019 and beyond.

Richard Eades

Global Category Manager (Hotels, Meetings and Events)

BP

Richard Eades

Global Category Manager (Hotels, Meetings and Events)

BP

• Studied Hotel Management at University,

• At 22 years old, owned / ran a Restaurant for 5 years

• General Management and Board level within organisations such as: Hilton, Trust House Forte, MWB, Expotel, BSI Group and other Event / TMC’s.

• Been invited to sit of multiple Global Government, Hotel and Industry Advisory Boards. Also providing voluntary mentoring of various industry and educational individuals and groups.

• 2011, appointed project lead consultant within BP to manage the Global Implementation of SMMP (Strategic Meetings Management Programme).

• In Oct 2011, took on full time employee role as Global Category Manager for Transient, Meetings, Groups and Events – managing a combined spend of $200m+.

• His tenacity in driving BP’s Programme was recognised by peers & suppliers in 2014 by being awarded ITM Travel Buyer of the Year for Strategic Meetings Management.

• Richard also operates and integrates within BP’s Global Security, jointly planning and contracting multiple contingency solutions to ensure the continued safety of BP Travellers.

• 2016 in addition to his Global Travel Team position, Richard was appointed the IP Global ECL - Ethics and Compliance Lead across all BP Procurement supporting and advising the Senior Leader Team in operating under all E&C governance.

How to get your business booking meetings smarter

Companies could save so much more if only meetings organisers took more intelligent buying decisions. How can you work more consultatively with your bookers on cost-reducing measures like smarter booking (shorter lead times, for example), meeting location optimisation and T&Cs?

Jasmin Eberharter

Senior Manager for Distribution Strategy

Lufthansa

Jasmin Eberharter

Senior Manager for Distribution Strategy

Lufthansa

Jasmin Eberharter is Senior Manager for Distribution Strategy at Lufthansa Group, responsible for the development and continuous enhancement of the distribution vision within LHG's strategic framework. Prior to her current job, Jasmin worked on the channel management strategy for Swiss International Air Lines. Before Jasmin joined the travel industry she worked in market research and marketing across different industries and holds a PhD in Economics from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Jasmin was born in Frankfurt, lived in the U.S., Singapore, Paris, and now resides in Zurich.

Sessions

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

This will be an interactive panel session led by Travelport's NDC Senior Program Director, Will Owen Hughes. Joined by other leading industry partners and travel agents, this panel session will explore the digitalization of the industry and the creation of commercial possibilities to build on NDC, how to make NDC work for all travel players all while improving the services provided to the end-traveller.

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

IATA’s One Order strategy has been described as “much bigger than NDC”. It will bring air travel into the digital retail age by merging a booking’s PNR, ticket and ancillary orders in a single document. Learn how this fundamental change could revolutionise your travel programme, from MI to payment to disruption management and powerful new entrants in travel distribution.

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

Come and sit around the tech table where Travelport and players across the value chain will discuss the state of play of NDC, how the shift to this new era of distribution is progressing and what challenges are yet to be faced by the industry to achieve IATA’s objectives.

Nadine Fauser

Director for Strategy & Innovation

Robert Bosch

Nadine Fauser

Director for Strategy & Innovation

Robert Bosch

Nadine Fauser is Director for Strategy & Innovation and product-owner for the agile, cross-functional digitisation project Travel 4.0 at Robert Bosch. She studied economics at university and has worked for 10 years in different positions in purchasing, including buying, controlling and global IT roll-outs.. Since 2012, Fauser has been a travel management specialist, including working as a corporate travel strategist and taking responsibility for Eastern Europe and Africa..

Sessions

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

Underpinning your travel programme with monolithic, one-size-fits-all, end-to-end technology is so last-century! Today, you need to plug, play and integrate traveller and management tools from a wide variety of established tech players and start-ups. That’s the theory, but what’s the benefit and how can companies with all sizes of travel spend do it in practice?

Making hotel and meetings payments work

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Making hotel and meetings payments work

Paying for Accommodation and meetings is a perennial nightmare for travel managers – especially if the traveller doesn’t have a corporate card. Now virtual cards and other innovations are providing some solutions. How can you tap into these new payment options?

A well-crafted policy is at the heart of any successful corporate travel programme. But what goes into that policy can vary massively depending on your company’s goals, supplier network and culture. Our experts will provide some practical advice to help you, whatever the size of your business and create effective rules designed to fit your needs.

How Can Businesses Balance What Travellers Want With What the Business Needs?

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

How Can Businesses Balance What Travellers Want With What the Business Needs?

Employees now have a world of travel options at their fingertips and they expect the same flexibility when they travel for business. But how can businesses offer the experience travellers want while maintaining spend visibility, compliance with policies and ensuring duty of care requirements are met?

Join this session for practical advice on how you can balance these often competing needs and to understand how a connected travel and expense process can give the business the visibility and control it requires.

James Filsinger

President & CEO

Yapta

James Filsinger

President & CEO

Yapta

James has 20 years of experience in the travel industry with proven success in CEO, M&A and Business Development roles within global startups and Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining Yapta, James was CEO of EZYield.com, Inc. where he was responsible for orchestrating the sale of the company to TravelClick. Earlier in his career, James was CEO and General Manager of Moneydirect, an international joint venture between Sabre Inc. (USA) and Amadeus IT (Spain) that processed over $2.5 billion in travel payment transactions annually. Prior to Moneydirect, he spent more than a decade at Sabre Holdings where he served as VP of New Business Ventures, among other roles within the organization. James is active in the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), and was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Executives in the Business Travel Industry for 2013. James holds an MBA and BA in Accounting, both from Washington State University.

Sessions

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

Predictive analytics is tipped to sharpen pretty much every aspect of the way companies manage their travel, from supplier negotiations to steering traveller behaviour to keep employees safe on the road? What is this new science and how is it being applied in practice to corporate travel?

Daniel Fitzgerald

Chief Product Officer

Traveldoo

Daniel Fitzgerald

Chief Product Officer

Traveldoo

Dan Fitzgerald is the Chief Product Officer for Traveldoo, an Expedia Group company, responsible for the product strategy, design, and execution of the Traveldoo web and mobile solutions for business travel and expense report management. Working closely with the R&D and Product teams, Dan has the challenge of designing products to meet the changing needs of both the traveller and the corporate as the market moves to a more consumer led approach in the development of business applications.

Dan has over 15years experience working in business travel technology. Previously at KDS, as VP Product Strategy, he built out its Neo product set under Dean Forbes. Dan is a graduate of Cambridge University.

Sessions

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

The range of skills and knowledge needed by successful travel managers is widening more than ever. Data science, technology strategising, marketing and HR are all becoming increasing parts of the mix, not forgetting procurement, finance and good old-fashioned emotional intelligence. Why is it all changing and how can you acquire the skill set you’ll need to thrive in the 2020s?

Xaveer Fluitman

Regional Director Business Travel EMEA

Booking.com

Xaveer Fluitman

Regional Director Business Travel EMEA

Booking.com

Xaveer is the Regional Director EMEA for Booking.com for Business. Having achieved his Master’s degree in Innovative Hospitality Management from the ESADE Business & Law School in 2007, and already with extensive experience in both Hospitality and Project Management, Xaveer joined Booking.com in October 2008. In the course of the next ten years with the company, he has held management roles both in his native Netherlands and whilst overseeing operations on the East Coast of the United States. Driven, committed to results and with an energetic entrepreneurial flair, Xaveer now helps steer Booking.com for Business in its continued global development.

Dean Forbes is CEO and member of the board of CoreHR, where he is responsible for continuing its exciting strategy of growth and market disruption.

From 2010 to 2016 Dean was CEO of KDS, during which time it tripled revenue, increased profitability and won widespread recognition for its technological innovation. KDS was acquired by American Express in 2016.

Prior to KDS, Dean was a member of the executive board of Primavera, where he led its international operations through a period of incredible growth. Following a successful acquisition by Oracle, Dean was appointed Group Vice President for project and portfolio management solutions for Oracle globally, making him one of the youngest group presidents, whilst also sitting on Oracle’s UK Executive committee.

Dean is a member of the board of directors for ACLT and the Royal Marsden Hospital helping both organisations combat and treat cancer, and as an active advocate community development he currently serves as chairman and founder of Project 10, a work readiness program for disadvantaged young people.

Sessions

How to influence my C-suite and win big – A boardroom exec reveals all

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

How to influence my C-suite and win big – A boardroom exec reveals all

Whether it’s winning buy-in for your investment shopping list, or preventing unwanted tech choices being imposed from above, travel managers need to make themselves heard at the top level of their organisation. But how? A C-level executive talks through what does – and doesn’t – grab their time-precious attention and persuade them to green-light your plans.

Caroline French

Head of Global Travel & Expense Management

Inmarsat Global Ltd

Caroline French

Head of Global Travel & Expense Management

Inmarsat Global Ltd

Caroline French is the Head of Global Travel & Expense Management for Inmarsat Global Ltd headquartered in London UK.

Inmarsat is the world’s leading provider of global mobile satellite communications and today its satellite communication services are not only saving lives but empowering people and communities, enabling business and trade, and supporting humanitarian work in the most remote and challenging locations.

This year Caroline’s strategic focus and challenge will centre around traveller behaviour and experience, technology integration, cost reduction and employee risk and security.

Sessions

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

With Brexit on the horizon, no one really knows what the future holds. But whatever the outcome, your employees will still need to travel both locally and globally. And of course, duty of care should be top of mind. Whether you’re dealing with a delayed flight, lost wallet, medical emergency or tax implications from frequent travel, preparation is the key to protecting your employees. Join our panel discussion, with experts from across the travel industry, for top tips that you can take back to your business.

Sam Furnier

Founder/ Owner

Perfect Talent

Sam Furnier

Founder/ Owner

Perfect Talent

Sam Furnier’s main drive is finding what makes people’s clock tick and helping business leaders to inspire their teams. Convinced that happy, motivated people walk the extra mile which makes the difference between better and best.

Sam is author of several management books which emphasize the importance and benefits of inspiring people. He has an advisory role in boardrooms that realize a fine culture is an important business essential and moneymaker and makes sure that companies don’t lose touch with their customers or what makes the customer happy.
Sam is a former member of the Belgian karate team, was CEO of various technical service companies and founded his consulting company Perfect Talent in 2010. He considers himself as his customers’ wingman.

Sessions

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

Better data and marketing skills are helping travel managers to segment their travellers, or business divisions, into profile groups, each of which is then managed and helped in the way that’s right for them. Hear from the pioneers of this brand new approach to travel management.

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

Businesses increasingly appreciate that keeping travellers healthy, happy and safe is essential to meeting core strategic goals like productivity, recruitment and retention, and risk management. But how can you actually measure and then manage well-being? And can you do it without breaking the bank?

Mick Gibbs

Executive Chairman

Norad Travel Group

Mick Gibbs

Executive Chairman

Norad Travel Group

Mick Gibbs is majority shareholder of Norad Travel Group, a Top 40 UK travel management company. Headquartered in Liss, Hampshire, Norad also has offices in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Northern Ireland, and a network of associate International locations. With over 30 years business travel and general management experience, Mick is a significant industry influencer, closely engaged with key bodies and commercial groupings at the highest level. Chairman of Focus Partnership, the UK’S foremost partnership of independent TMCs, Mick recently joined the board of the Guild of Travel Management Companies and became chair of its technology committee.

Sessions

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

IATA’s One Order strategy has been described as “much bigger than NDC”. It will bring air travel into the digital retail age by merging a booking’s PNR, ticket and ancillary orders in a single document. Learn how this fundamental change could revolutionise your travel programme, from MI to payment to disruption management and powerful new entrants in travel distribution.

Ana Gibson

Head of Travel

Hilti

Ana Gibson

Head of Travel

Hilti

Ana is an enthusiastic, positive and engaging professional - a true travel industry aficionado. A highly experienced Account Manager, who, after demonstrating 7 years of dedication with Emirates airline, from call center right through to Sales and Account Management, followed by another seven in a Client Management role with Finnair, has recently crossed over to the other side of the table into the Procurement realm. Ana is currently the Supply Manager for Travel for Hilti, a global company with over 27,000 employees and a market presence in 120 countries. With strong skills in negotiations, sales, new business development corporate and leisure travel, Ana’s passion truly lies within travel.

In the spirit of ‘essentialism’, what are the fundamentals when it comes to running a successful multi-country travel programme from a Travel Management and Procurement perspective?

Alan Gilles

UK, Global Commercial Services

American Express

Alan Gilles

UK, Global Commercial Services

American Express

Alan Gillies is Vice President within the Global Commercial Services division at American Express, an industry leader in corporate payments and management solutions. In this role, Alan is responsible for accelerating American Express’ commercial payments presence among medium-sized and large businesses in the UK, including implementing new business initiatives and working with travel industry and expense management partners.

Alan has over twenty years’ experience in commercial payments at American Express, holding in a number of increasingly senior positions, including responsibility for acquiring and managing some of the group’s largest clients and leading American Express’ acquisition activities for small to medium-sized corporate clients in the UK, Sweden and Norway. He has also held a number of operational roles including running customer service and credit management teams in both the consumer and corporate arms of the business.

Sessions

What next for the traveller experience – the psychology behind what today’s travellers want and how companies can adapt

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

What next for the traveller experience – the psychology behind what today’s travellers want and how companies can adapt

The rise of the sharing economy, the growth of bleisure and how companies can balance the compliance with the traveller experience are just some of the hot topics shaping business travel today and in the future. Business psychologist Honey Langcaster-James will join American Express to share unique insights on what business travellers are looking for and how companies can help meet their needs.

Erik-Jan Ginjaar

Director General

Postillion Hotels

Erik-Jan Ginjaar

Director General

Postillion Hotels

Erik-Jan Ginjaar, Managing Director of Postillion Hotels Nederland, obtained his diploma at Hotel School Maastricht at the age of 22. After having practiced almost every possible job within the hospitality industry, Erik-Jan started as General Manager at Postillion Hotel Utrecht Bunnik in 2012. He became Director Region West of the chain in 2014 and as of February 2017 he is to be called Managing Director of Postillion Hotels Nederland. Erik-Jan’s leadership style is characterized by being hands on in combination with courage and a touch of humor!

Klaus works within BCD’s Global Distribution team and has responsibility for the relationships with a number travel technology partners. Klaus joined BCD Travel in 2007 initially leading the European Technology Sales team assisting customers in making solution recommendations. He then headed a global product team responsible for managing a portfolio of client-facing technologies. Prior to joining BCD, Klaus worked for Amadeus in a variety of commercial and project management roles for 10 years before which he worked for Sabre.

Sessions

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

This will be an interactive panel session led by Travelport's NDC Senior Program Director, Will Owen Hughes. Joined by other leading industry partners and travel agents, this panel session will explore the digitalization of the industry and the creation of commercial possibilities to build on NDC, how to make NDC work for all travel players all while improving the services provided to the end-traveller.

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

Come and sit around the tech table where Travelport and players across the value chain will discuss the state of play of NDC, how the shift to this new era of distribution is progressing and what challenges are yet to be faced by the industry to achieve IATA’s objectives.

Oliver Graue

Chief Editor

BizTravel

Oliver Graue

Chief Editor

BizTravel

Since 2006 Oliver Graue, born in 1967, has been editor-in-chief of BizTravel, which is published by Deutscher Fachverlag in Hamburg. BizTravel is the highest-circulation business travel trade magazine in Germany. Graue was trained as an editor at the German School of Journalism in Munich. He has worked for Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich as well as for several daily newspapers in Cologne, Coburg and Hamburg. In 2004 he changed to the tourism trade magazine fvw.

Sessions

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

Airlines have been making much noise recently about switching to selling through New Distribution Capability channels – but buyers are still undecided on the big questions. Is it making air travel dearer or cheaper? Is there more transparency or less? Come and hear the big arguments about what NDC means for your programme.

Amanda Greenwood

Content Manager

BTiQ

Amanda Greenwood

Content Manager

BTiQ

Amanda Greenwood is content manager of Business Travel iQ. She has been writing about the travel industry for more than eight years, first covering the B2B leisure sector before moving into the business travel world. As well as being a trained journalist Amanda is well-skilled in using social media, working across LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for both BTiQ and in her voluntary work.

Matt Griffin

SVP of Product

Traxo

Matt Griffin

SVP of Product

Traxo

Sessions

Going “Off-Piste”: How to Manage Safety and Savings When Employees Go Rogue

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

Going “Off-Piste”: How to Manage Safety and Savings When Employees Go Rogue

Off-piste, off-channel bookings, leakage, non-TMC, supplier-direct… whatever you call it, the trend in employees booking away from their TMC isn’t slowing down. Why are off-channel bookings such a controversial topic in corporate travel? What are organizations doing about it in their travel programs?

Are you curious about how a growing number of organizations are now supporting off-channel bookings and the new resources they’re using to create better, agile travel programs? You might be surprised at the ROI for incorporating these “off-piste” bookings into your program. Join this discussion on delivering employee safety, improving traveller satisfaction, and realizing travel program savings in an environment of off-channel bookings.

Peter Grover

Managing Director, Europe

TripBAM

Peter Grover

Managing Director, Europe

TripBAM

Peter is currently the European Managing Director for TRIPBAM, a hotel shopping service changing the way companies and travel agencies procure hotel stays. By searching daily using patented hotel clustering technology, TRIPBAM reduces hotel costs while improving compliance, increasing attachment, and identifying issues with negotiated rates. The system finds savings over 40% of the time and the average savings are over €100 per stay. Based upon TRIPBAM's success, it was selected as the most Innovative Technology for Corporate Travel in 2014 and winner of the Phocuswright Battleground competition in 2015. Peter has previously held leadership roles in Fareportal, WNS, TRX, Travelport and Amadeus throughout his 30+ years in the travel Industry.

Josh is responsible for Marketing across Travel and Transport Statesman, from traditional marketing and PR, extending our digital footprint, to crafting educational content, web copy, graphics and video for our business travel clients.

Josh has a keen interest and background in Behavioural Psychology, helping bring a creative approach to telling our story. When he's not pursuing his passions for travel, painting or cooking, he's learning how to be a dad, having recently become a father for the first time.

A self-confessed lover of all things Apple, Josh keeps the company up to date on all things tech, with one eye on the big trends happening inside and out of the travel industry.

Sessions

The What, Where, When, Who and How of Traveller Communication

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

The What, Where, When, Who and How of Traveller Communication

We live in a society where we are bombarded with content with a hyper-focus on engagement. There is certainly a time and place to provide communication to your travellers but what is the right time, what are the risks in over communicating, what’s the right mix and how do you measure its success? Join in a lively discussion from an esteemed panel of industry experts as we dive into best practices for traveller engagement and communication.

How to Travelproof your mind

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

How to Travelproof your mind

We know business travel puts our physical health under pressure by disrupting sleep patterns, affecting our diet and battling jet lag, but what about our minds? High-pressure environments coupled with long periods away from loved ones in unfamiliar territory is a cocktail for poor mental health, so what can we do about it?

Positive psychology is the study of optimal functioning and applies the knowledge and tools to help people and organisations flourish. Productivity and purpose go hand in hand and high performance has been proven to correlate with high well-being across major industries. Happiness is seriously good for your business travellers.

Learn how you and your travellers can build mental resilience and awareness through clinically proven practical methods for inner strength and wellness in this eye-opening seminar.

Alistair Hammond

Global Director of Media Relations/ PR

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Alistair Hammond

Global Director of Media Relations/ PR

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Alistair is Global Director of Media Relations and PR at CWT. An international communications specialist with experience in global crisis, litigation, tech, and corporate communications, extensive financial markets expertise, and a trusted network among journalists globally.

Sessions

Me, my data and I

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

Me, my data and I

Companies of all sizes have access to huge amount of data but if you understand it properly then the potential for savings and the ability to vastly improve your programme are massive. CWT’s Chief Data Scientist, Eric Tyree will explain what’s possible for buyers and how they can change the way they view data. You will also hear first-hand how Life Science company Smith & Nephew changed their approach to data reporting and delivered savings and increased compliance.

Bruce Hanna

General Manager EMEA

Yapta

Bruce Hanna

General Manager EMEA

Yapta

Bruce Hanna’s 20-plus year career in travel has included roles in Europe, Asia Pacific, USA, India, Africa and Saudi Arabia. Most recently, Hanna served as Vice President of Commercial Operations, EMEA, at Antenna International, where he delivered new efficiencies and increased profitability to the company’s EMEA business. Earlier in his career, he worked in various market management roles for Travelport, including serving as the Country Manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the VP of Commercial Southern Africa, and the Director of Market Support for Africa. Prior to Travelport, Hanna was President and CEO of Interglobe Technology Quotient, the leading GDS provider in India.

Sessions

The 5 Ways to Save Throughout the Travel Lifecycle

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

The 5 Ways to Save Throughout the Travel Lifecycle

With airlines and hotels continuing to segment their offerings with more products and sophistication - looking to attract the largest customer base possible at the highest price points - travel management professionals need to be at the top of their game. Join Bruce Hanna, Yapta's General Manager EMEA, as he outlines the five powerful ways that travel professionals can use dynamic price tracking technology and advanced travel spend analytics to achieve greater savings, increased traveler program compliance and more productive supplier negotiations.

Will Hasler

Business Travel Manager

PwC

Will Hasler

Business Travel Manager

PwC

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Simon Heath

Global Category Manager - Travel

AstraZeneca

Simon Heath

Global Category Manager - Travel

AstraZeneca

Simon joined AstraZeneca in 2016 as Global Category Manager and is responsible for global sourcing for all areas of travel, as well as supplier relations, travel data/reporting and programme optimisation. Over his 15 years in corporate travel, he has worked in a wide range of roles on both the buyer and supplier sides, which have helped provide a holistic view of the industry.

Sessions

Air sourcing health check

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

Air sourcing health check

Are you getting the most out of your airline deals? Are you putting together the right combinations of suppliers to map ideally with your travel patterns? And are you agreeing to the right discounts in the right fare classes? Our expert spells out how to move your air purchasing up to the next level.

Kerrie Henshaw-Cox

Global Category Lead

AstraZeneca Business Travel

Kerrie Henshaw-Cox

Global Category Lead

AstraZeneca Business Travel

Kerrie Henshaw-Cox joined biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in 2011 and is the Global Category Lead for Travel. Kerrie has overall responsibility for the global programme including travel strategy, sourcing, programme management and is accountable for the travel strategy, travel policy and Duty of Care programme. Having completed a global RFP to move 70+ markets to a single TMC, Kerrie and her team have been implemented BCD whilst rolling out Concur as the online booking tool in 30+ markets.

Prior to joining AZ, Kerrie was the Global Hotel & Meetings Manager at BP, with responsibility for the creation of a meetings management strategy and policy. This included a review of booking and payment processes and a global RFP with the appointment of a global venue finding agency.

Kerrie has enjoyed a varied career in the travel industry spanning 25+ years, having worked in buyer and supplier roles including tour operations management, sales & marketing, international conference & logistics management and International Account Management.

Sessions

How to write a smarter travel management strategy

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

How to write a smarter travel management strategy

Experienced travel managers are increasingly drafting fresh strategies for their travel programmes, whether it’s to meet the demands of senior management or give themselves a masterplan for the years ahead. But what should go into your strategy, and where do you find the big vision to guide your thinking? Our leading expert guides you through creating this vital document.

Michael Hill

Global Category Manager - Travel

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Michael Hill

Global Category Manager - Travel

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Sessions

Inside Track – Life as a multinational travel manager

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Inside Track – Life as a multinational travel manager

Managing travel across borders is tough – and our speakers have the scars to prove it! Two multinational travel managers interview each other about how they overcome the cultural, technical and many other challenges they face on a daily basis.

Tina Hinchman

Senior Director, Partner Engagement and Development

WorldAware

Tina Hinchman

Senior Director, Partner Engagement and Development

WorldAware

Mark Hollyhead

COO

Egencia

Mark Hollyhead

COO

Egencia

Mark Hollyhead brings over 25 years of global experience in sales, marketing and operations across the travel and telecommunications industries.

Mark joined Egencia in 2010 as SVP for the Americas before being appointed to the role of Global COO in 2016. Before joining Egencia, Mark was with Vodafone as Head of Transformation and prior he spent 15 years at British Airways (BA) in a variety of leadership positions including Vice President of eCommerce and Customer Contact, and Head of Revenue Management for the long haul business worldwide. Mark completed his tenure at British Airways as the Head of London Heathrow Customer Operations where he was responsible for Terminals 1, 3, & 4. He was also the Chairman of the Terminal 5 change program tasked with designing the customer experience and the consolidation of all operations into one terminal.

Mark earned an M.B.A. in Strategy and Distribution from the City of London Business School and received post graduatehonors in Economics at Birkbeck University of London.

In the spirit of ‘essentialism’, what are the fundamentals when it comes to running a successful multi-country travel programme from a Travel Management and Procurement perspective?

Mikael Holmyr

Global Travel Manager

SKF

Mikael Holmyr

Global Travel Manager

SKF

Susan Hopley

CEO

The Data Exchange

Susan Hopley

CEO

The Data Exchange

Susan Hopley is founder and CEO of The Data Exchange. The company focuses on serving the expanding demands for data in the travel industry. Her extensive experience grows from earlier work as founder and CEO of International Software Products, which specialised in data consolidation and reporting. After selling the company TRX in 1999 she remained there as an executive until taking up her current role in 2011.

Winner of many industry awards, including Driver of Change in Technology by the BBT Hotlist 2014, Top 25 Most Influential Executives, USA and Top 25 Technical Leaders, USA. Susan has served on the Board of ACTE, the Chair of it Research Foundation, and continues to serve on its Finance Committee. She has been a judge at the 2013 and 2014 Business Travel Journalist Awards. Susan is a frequent speaker at international venues and regarded as one of the foremost data monetisationzaaion experts in the world.

Sessions

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

TMCs don’t use standard data formats – and that makes consolidating management information from multiple TMCs a nightmare. Can buyers work together to create a set of standards themselves? Let’s make a start at this high-level workshop session! Plus: how can we get TMCs to provide better insights into traveller behaviour and total trip cost?

Paul Hussey

The Conference Doctor

Paul Hussey

The Conference Doctor

Sessions

Take the first step to managing your meetings spend

21 February at 16:00 - 16:45

21 February at 16:00 - 16:45

Take the first step to managing your meetings spend

Companies often spend as much, or even more on meetings as they do on regular business travel, yet they find it much harder to get their arms around this often well-hidden major cost. Learn what you can do to start bringing this elusive category under control – from data to policy to supplier negotiations and much more.

Ad Imhoff

Consultant

Awise Consulting

Ad Imhoff

Consultant

Awise Consulting

Ad Imhoff has been active for at least 25 years in the procurement of travel services. He started his career at AT&T/Lucent Technologies and now an independent travel management & procurement specialist. Ad has extensive experience with sourcing and management of global mobility, travel & expense and contingent worker programs in the public as well as the private sector.

Sessions

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

Predictive analytics is tipped to sharpen pretty much every aspect of the way companies manage their travel, from supplier negotiations to steering traveller behaviour to keep employees safe on the road? What is this new science and how is it being applied in practice to corporate travel?

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

TMCs don’t use standard data formats – and that makes consolidating management information from multiple TMCs a nightmare. Can buyers work together to create a set of standards themselves? Let’s make a start at this high-level workshop session! Plus: how can we get TMCs to provide better insights into traveller behaviour and total trip cost?

Kevin Iwamoto

Senior Consultant

GoldSpring Consulting

Kevin Iwamoto

Senior Consultant

GoldSpring Consulting

Kevin is a globally recognised industry influencer and subject matter expert in corporate travel, procurement, GDPR and strategic meetings management (SMM). He is also former President & CEO of the Board of Directors for the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). He has served on numerous association boards, most recently as a Board member for the US Council for the MPI Foundation.

Kevin has won almost every major industry award in both business travel and the meetings and events industries. In July, he was just named for the third time in five years one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry 2018 from Successful Meetings magazine. Other recent accolades include the 2016 MPI Rise Award for Meetings Industry Leadership, the Changemakers Award for MeetingsNet where he was also featured on the June magazine cover, GBTA’s President’s Award, BTN travel manager of the year & GBTA’s rarely awarded Industry Icon Award (he is only one of eight recipients).

He writes a popular award-winning industry blog (Gold Magellan Award for Best Industry Blog from Travel Weekly), published though Meetings & Conventions on-line.

He has two published books to his credit, Strategic Meetings Management: From Theory to Practice published in April 2011 and most recently, Your Personal Brand, Your Power Tool to Build Career Integrity, published in October of 2016. Both are available via Amazon.

Before joining GoldSpring Consulting, Kevin retired from Lanyon in 2016 where he was VP of Industry Strategy. Prior to Lanyon he was senior global category manager in the Hewlett-Packard Global Travel & SMM Team. He has also served as a senior account manager with the Walt Disney Company.

Sessions

Dangerous liaisons – How to de-risk your meetings programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Dangerous liaisons – How to de-risk your meetings programme

Businesses prevent more than a couple of senior executives flying together but happily let hundreds of their top people gather at meetings with minimal or zero safety precautions. Come away with an essential checklist of how to start managing risk more effectively for your events and conferences.

Is it time to integrate transient travel and meetings?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Is it time to integrate transient travel and meetings?

More and more people who manage travel are having meetings added to their portfolio too. But can processes, policies and suppliers for the two categories be merged, or do they have to stay very separate? And is it possible to consolidate to one agency for business travel, meetings management and event production?

Scott Johnston

Director of Business Analytics & Integration

Travel and Transport Inc

Scott Johnston

Director of Business Analytics & Integration

Travel and Transport Inc

Sessions

The What, Where, When, Who and How of Traveller Communication

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

The What, Where, When, Who and How of Traveller Communication

We live in a society where we are bombarded with content with a hyper-focus on engagement. There is certainly a time and place to provide communication to your travellers but what is the right time, what are the risks in over communicating, what’s the right mix and how do you measure its success? Join in a lively discussion from an esteemed panel of industry experts as we dive into best practices for traveller engagement and communication.

Fred Jones

Head of New Mobility

Uber, UK and Ireland

Fred Jones

Head of New Mobility

Uber, UK and Ireland

Fred Jones is the Head of New Mobility for Uber across the UK and Ireland. Operating in more than 40 major cities and towns across the UK, Uber connects users to a safe and convenient ride at the touch of a button. When he joined Uber in 2015 Fred was initially the General Manager for expansion, launching Uber in multiple cities across the UK and Ireland. In his current role as Head of New Mobility, Fred is responsible for ushering the next chapter for Uber; making Uber’s transition to zero emission vehicles a reality as well as expanding transport options available in the App to further increase the choice, reliability and affordability of getting from A to B in your city.

Sessions

The Future of Business Travel: Replacing your car with your phone

21 February at 13:00 - 13:30

21 February at 13:00 - 13:30

The Future of Business Travel: Replacing your car with your phone

We spend a lot of time thinking about the future of urban mobility and how we can work with cities to help make them more liveable. Mass urbanisation is one of the defining trends of our generation. Despite the benefits of living in an urban area, if ground transportation doesn’t work, the city simply doesn’t run.

The morning and evening commutes are some of the busiest travel times for, well, every major city, and businesses have a role in ensuring their employees access to reliable and efficient ways to get to and from work. In this presentation, we’ll discuss how we’re partnering with cities and businesses to provide rides, bikes, and even carpooling to improve not only your travellers’ experiences but also the experience of entire cities.

Matthew Judge

Group Managing Director

Anvil

Matthew Judge

Group Managing Director

Anvil

Matthew is a joint founder and Group Managing Director of The Anvil Group (International) Limited. He joined the wider Anvil Group in 2004, bringing executive level experience from the technology, consultancy and travel industries.

Matthew has overall responsibility for delivering continuous growth for the company by meeting the evolving demand for effective risk management solutions from the world’s most prominent organizations.

He is passionate about delivering advanced technology-led operational resilience solutions that give Anvil’s clients the actionable insight they need to ensure their businesses are prepared for anything and continue to thrive in an ever more uncertain world. Having assisted clients directly during a diverse range of major incidents over the last ten years, Matthew fully understands the impact of these events on those affected and their wider business operations.

Matthew is a regular speaker at travel and security conferences, discussing and advising on the subjects of travel risk management, corporate governance, duty of care and operational resilience.

Sessions

Safety and security – a best practice guide for beginners

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Safety and security – a best practice guide for beginners

If your employees travel for business of any kind, you need to ensure their safety and communicate what to do in an emergency. However, duty of care is not just about crises and major world events – it could be someone losing their passport or simply missing a flight. Our expert will walk you through why a comprehensive risk management plan is crucial and the technology options for maximising traveller protection.

Maximilian Kaiser

International Sales Manager for Innovative Technologies

Siemens Mobility

Maximilian Kaiser

International Sales Manager for Innovative Technologies

Siemens Mobility

Nowadays, people travelling for leisure or business demand a seamless experience when planning and paying for their trips. Therefore, multimodal door-to-door travel planning based on personal preferences has become crucial. In this context, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has gained more and more attention in the mobility industry. MaaS allows travellers to plan and pay for their trips on all available means of transport through a smartphone app. This is achieved by integrating urban and interurban transport services into a single mobility platform accessible on demand.
As business travel is closely linked to the mobility industry, the question arises: How will MaaS affect the business travel industry in the future?

The roundtable discussion highlights the role of multimodal travel apps for corporate employees and employers. This will also lead to the question how the “business travel app of the future” should look like and which aspects must be considered, e.g. the end-to-end integration in the process from business trip planning to expense claiming. Furthermore, we will discuss whether and how MaaS packages for corporates (e.g. flat rates for certain mobility services) can become a game changer in the corporates (e.g. flat rates for certain mobility services) can become a game changer in the business travel industry.

Sessions

Mobility as a Service and Business Travel – a perfect match!

20 February at 10:00 - 10:30

20 February at 10:00 - 10:30

Mobility as a Service and Business Travel – a perfect match!

Nowadays, people travelling for leisure or business demand a seamless experience when planning and paying for their trips. Therefore, multimodal door-to-door travel planning based on personal preferences has become crucial. In this context, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has gained more and more attention in the mobility industry. MaaS allows travellers to plan and pay for their trips on all available means of transport through a smartphone app. This is achieved by integrating urban and interurban transport services into a single mobility platform accessible on demand. As business travel is closely linked to the mobility industry, the question arises: How will MaaS affect the business travel industry in the future?

The roundtable discussion highlights the role of multimodal travel apps for corporate employees and employers, this will also lead to the question how the "business travel app of the future" should look and which aspects must be considered, e.g. the end-to-end integration in the process from business trip planning to expense claiming. Furthermore, we will discuss whether and how MaaS packages for corporates (e.g. flat rates for certain mobility services) can become a game changer in the business travel industry.

Jonathan Kao

Managing Director

BCD Travel Greater China

Jonathan Kao

Managing Director

BCD Travel Greater China

With 15 years working in corporate travel in Greater China, Jonathan Kao understands what it takes to create an effective managed travel program for local and global companies. In his role as managing director for BCD Travel Greater China, Jonathan oversees all commercial, financial and operational functions for one of the company’s fastest-growing markets. Jonathan sets the company’s strategic direction to fulfil its mission of powering customer success by making the most of travel investment, keeping traveller's safe and enhancing the traveller experience. He’s been instrumental in shaping, strengthening and growing the company in Greater China.

Jonathan holds an Economics degree from the University of Toronto, Master’s degree in e-Business from the City University of Hong Kong and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Sessions

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

China and India are becoming hugely important elements of multinational corporations’ global travel programmes. But managing travel in these two vast, fast-changing markets doesn’t work the same way as in Europe. Our experts give the low-down on how to get them just right.

Jase Keen

Senior Manager Security Risk Analysis

Citrix

Jase Keen

Senior Manager Security Risk Analysis

Citrix

Jase transitioned from the government in 2013 after over 20 years providing threat intelligence and security risk advice in support of government operations globally. Since that time he has worked in the pharmaceutical and high-tech sectors providing threat based advice enabling business operations. This has included business travel as well as meeting and visit security to all manner of destinations including very high threat locations.

Sessions

Dangerous liaisons – How to de-risk your meetings programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Dangerous liaisons – How to de-risk your meetings programme

Businesses prevent more than a couple of senior executives flying together but happily let hundreds of their top people gather at meetings with minimal or zero safety precautions. Come away with an essential checklist of how to start managing risk more effectively for your events and conferences.

Louise Kilgannon

Consultant

Festive Road

Louise Kilgannon

Consultant

Festive Road

Sessions

The What, Where, When, Who and How of Traveller Communication

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

The What, Where, When, Who and How of Traveller Communication

We live in a society where we are bombarded with content with a hyper-focus on engagement. There is certainly a time and place to provide communication to your travellers but what is the right time, what are the risks in over communicating, what’s the right mix and how do you measure its success? Join in a lively discussion from an esteemed panel of industry experts as we dive into best practices for traveller engagement and communication.

Ori Kinel

Senior Manager, Corporate Travel

The Stars Group

Ori Kinel

Senior Manager, Corporate Travel

The Stars Group

Ori Kinel has 10 years of experience in the travel industry, the last two years looking after corporate travel at The Stars Group, one of the largest online gaming businesses in the world with leading brands such as PokerStars, PokerStars Casino and Bet Stars.

Sessions

Effective communications strategies for corporate buyers

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

Effective communications strategies for corporate buyers

The success of your travel programme is all about communicating compelling, behaviour-changing messages to your different kinds of 'customer'. And now new digital technologies are making both talking and listening even smarter. Learn how you can engage more powerfully with senior leadership, travellers and other critical stakeholders.

Gabriela Klazar

Senior Sourcing Manager

Stanley Black & Decker

Gabriela Klazar

Senior Sourcing Manager

Stanley Black & Decker

Gabriela Klazar is a senior sourcing manager in charge of travel at Stanley Black & Decker. She manages a comprehensive travel programme encompassing 56 countries worldwide, ensuring it meets SBD’s business objectives and service expectations. Her work includes managing all vendors and service providers in all segments and regularly reviewing performance, rates, usage and efficiency against contract terms and established benchmarks. Gabriela has worked in her travel role for seven years, is a member of ACTE and GBTA, and sits on the GBTA Risk Committee.

Sessions

Inside Track – How I manage our air and hotel programmes

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Inside Track – How I manage our air and hotel programmes

The format couldn’t be simpler – or more revealing! Two travel managers interview each other about every aspect of working with their most important suppliers – from vendor negotiations to getting travellers to follow the preferred supplier programme.

Barbara Kolosinska

Director

C&M Recruitment

Barbara Kolosinska

Director

C&M Recruitment

Barbara Kolosinska is the Director at C&M Recruitment – the largest specialist travel recruitment company in the UK.

With over two decades of experience, Barbara has worked extensively in the travel industry and has established herself as one of its key figures.

With a real passion for the travel sector, Barbara has vast experience of working in both the leisure and business travel industries through her roles at companies such as Air Jet and Holiday Autos.

She joined C&M Recruitment in 1999 as a Recruitment Consultant and progressed to become a Manager, Sales Director and now Director at the company. She sits on the Board and is responsible for the overall running and control of the business, with three offices in the UK and one in Australia. She also currently holds a position on the Board of Directors at the Institute of Travel and Tourism, where she was recently re-elected for another term.

To further demonstrate her standing in the sector, Barbara was added to the AWTE’s Influential Women in Travel list in 2017, was shortlisted for the AWTE Honorary Award in 2016 and was included in Women 1st’s Top 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel & Tourism in 2011.

Sessions

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

The range of skills and knowledge needed by successful travel managers is widening more than ever. Data science, technology strategising, marketing and HR are all becoming increasing parts of the mix, not forgetting procurement, finance and good old-fashioned emotional intelligence. Why is it all changing and how can you acquire the skill set you’ll need to thrive in the 2020s?

Joost Koning

Innovation Growth Hacker

Profiscore

Joost Koning

Innovation Growth Hacker

Profiscore

Joost has 15+ years of experience in the software innovation industry. With his positive and out-of-the-box mindset able to create disruptive innovations.

“Anything we can build in our minds, we can create in reality!”.

He is passionate about the intrinsic motivation of human beings. Which drove him to developed Profiscore’s Cultural Language Toolbox, a innovative and disruptive toolbox for profiling and psychometric analytics.

Sessions

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

Better data and marketing skills are helping travel managers to segment their travellers, or business divisions, into profile groups, each of which is then managed and helped in the way that’s right for them. Hear from the pioneers of this brand new approach to travel management.

Irina Kostyukova

Head of Business Travel

Kaspersky Lab

Irina Kostyukova

Head of Business Travel

Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab is one of the world’s largest privately owned cybersecurity companies. It operates in 200 countries and have 35 offices in 31 countries. Employs more than 4000 people globally.

Irina has been working in Kaspersky Lab for 17 years. Resides in Russia. Actually the whole travel program of the Company developed from the basics into what it is now with Irina’s direct involvement. Irina’s responsibility areas are: processes, policies, data, communication with travellers, payment solutions, suppliers management.

Irina is the Head of Member’s Council in ABT-ACTE Russia. Has spoken at ABT-ACTE Forums in Russia, participated in the content generation. Attends and speaks at many other business travel events.

Was a judge for Buying Business Travel Awards Russia & CIS in 2016 and 2018. Got “Travel Manager of the Year” award at this ceremony in 2017. Regularly writes for “Expert’s Column” at BBT Russia.

In the spirit of ‘essentialism’, what are the fundamentals when it comes to running a successful multi-country travel programme from a Travel Management and Procurement perspective?

Patrick Kuziw

Global Head of Travel Services and Partnerships

AXA Partners

Patrick Kuziw

Global Head of Travel Services and Partnerships

AXA Partners

Patrick has worked in the travel industry for 15 years becoming a medical transportation specialist with a great deal of experience in travel industry operations, technology and supplier relationships.

He is passionate about process and procedure improvements to assist with returning patients and family members home to their own beds in a safe, efferent and cost effective way.

How can you provide an easy way for your travellers to pay for their trip while maintaining all-important control and generating the best possible data? With more options than ever to choose from today, our expert walks through the solutions that might work best for you.

Honey Langcaster-James

Psychologist, coach and commentator

Honey Langcaster-James

Psychologist, coach and commentator

Honey Langcaster-James is a social and behavioural psychologist, media commentator and broadcaster. She has a particular interest in wellbeing and the workplace, and she has acted as a Consultant Psychologist to some of the best known companies in the world. She has also worked for the UK Government, most recently for the Home Office, as a behavioural change campaign strategist and advisor. She is probably best known in the UK for her role as a TV psychologist on popular shows such as ITV’s Love Island, Channel 4’s The Circle and the long running reality TV show, Big Brother. In addition to her expertise in psychology, she is also a keen traveller and founder of the travel and lifestyle blog, The Wanderlust Post.

Sessions

What next for the traveller experience – the psychology behind what today’s travellers want and how companies can adapt

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

What next for the traveller experience – the psychology behind what today’s travellers want and how companies can adapt

The rise of the sharing economy, the growth of bleisure and how companies can balance the compliance with the traveller experience are just some of the hot topics shaping business travel today and in the future. Business psychologist Honey Langcaster-James will join American Express to share unique insights on what business travellers are looking for and how companies can help meet their needs.

Jean Noel Lau Keng Lun

Senior Director, Global Product

Egencia

Jean Noel Lau Keng Lun

Senior Director, Global Product

Egencia

Sessions

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

Predictive analytics is tipped to sharpen pretty much every aspect of the way companies manage their travel, from supplier negotiations to steering traveller behaviour to keep employees safe on the road? What is this new science and how is it being applied in practice to corporate travel?

Helge Legernes

CEO

Zummy

Helge Legernes

CEO

Zummy

Helge is the founder of Zummy, building AI driven chatbots for optimization of various kinds of service engagement functions. He is an entrepreneur and business developer working at the intersection of business and technology. Helge strongly believes that the next generation of service engagement solutions will be automated, personal and AI-driven. Intelligent analysis based on semantical text analytics has fascinated Helge for the last 15 years. Before founding Zummy, Helge was the CTO and founder of Findwise and before that he held various positions in different Scandinavian companies. Helge holds a MSc from Chalmers University of Technology and a certificate from MIT in Artificial Intelligence. When not working, Helge passion is the Arctic and he skied to the Northpole in 2005.

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

Brigitte Lehle

Partner, Consultant Travel & Mobility

TMC Group

Brigitte Lehle

Partner, Consultant Travel & Mobility

TMC Group

Brigitte Lehle, Partner and Consultant Travel & Mobility at the TMC Group since July 2018, advises large and medium-sized companies on process and cost optimization, digitalization of the business travel process and many other topics related to the value chain of the business travel process. Brigitte Lehle was previously Manager Corporate Mobility Services at Dürr AG in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Swabia, where she was responsible for the Group's global fleet and travel management.

The 38-year-old business administration graduate looks back on a career at BCD Travel Germany GmbH - from training as a travel agent to sales management as Head of Sales & Account Manager - and completed her part-time studies with a thesis on "Travel Management in Transition - Opportunities and Risks".

As a private and business global frequent traveler and convinced "Digital Native", she intensively deals with all questions concerning mobility and the digitalization of the industry. She wants to use the new technologies above all to put people and their wishes and needs more in the foreground again.

With more than 19 years of experience in the business travel industry, especially in operation, sales & account and sales, she has a wide range of knowledge in mobility and travel management and the corresponding networks. She was therefore elected as Vice President Business Travel & Mobility of the Travel Industry Club in 2016. She moderates symposia, networkings, conducts panel discussions and is in demand as a speaker at conferences and meetings.

From September 2018, Brigitte Lehle will also be a lecturer at the Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences for Tourism Management.

Sessions

Managing supplier consolidation to make sure you win

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Managing supplier consolidation to make sure you win

Mergers and takeovers have removed some powerful competitors from the board in the airline, hotel and TMC worlds. How can buyers turn a potential threat into a purchasing opportunity?

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Traveller profiling – a game-changing new way to organise your travel programme

Better data and marketing skills are helping travel managers to segment their travellers, or business divisions, into profile groups, each of which is then managed and helped in the way that’s right for them. Hear from the pioneers of this brand new approach to travel management.

Chris Lewis

CEO

Travelogix

Chris Lewis

CEO

Travelogix

Sessions

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

With safety, savings and service being the main concerns for travel buyers, it can be surprising to find taxi travel often left off the agenda within corporate travel policies. As the traditional expense model makes way for more sophisticated mobility requirements, on demand transport networks are thankfully now primed to deliver. During this session our panel of travel experts will discuss how a defined ground transport policy can help businesses control costs, improve traveller wellbeing and increase passenger safety, alongside the potential pitfalls to ignoring this crucial mode of transport.

Jo-Anne Lloyd

Partner

Nina & Pinta

Jo-Anne Lloyd

Partner

Nina & Pinta

Jo Lloyd has over 25 years of experience in the corporate travel industry. Having worked across a broad range of industry sectors throughout her career, Jo is experienced in TMC, Airline Sales and Procurement environments. Operating as an independent industry consultant for over 10 years, Jo has engaged with clients across the globe on a number of interesting and diverse projects delivering strategy, sourcing and change management. In addition to her consulting work, Jo also writes and delivers industry training focussed on working with travel procurement, articulating value, strategic selling and negotiation skills and stakeholder influencing.

In 2015 Jo and her business partner Monique Swart founded Nina & Pinta, a strategic consulting and accredited training company.

Recent studies have shown that companies are spending 7-12% of their travel expenses on ground transport. While air and hotel programmes appear to be well under control, ground transportation as a category remains hugely fragmented, and managing spend has been challenging. Technology has helped to bring this under control while also introducing services like ridesharing that consumers increasingly prefer in their personal and, now, work lives. How can companies harness new technology to stretch their budget without sacrificing employee satisfaction?

This panel of Darryl McGarvey of SAP Concur, Jo-Anne Lloyd of Nina & Pinta, and Tim Burgess of Uber for Business discusses what a ground transport programme should cover and how buyers can balance their needs with those of travellers.

Elizabeth Lloyd

Global Wellbeing Programme Lead

BP Lubricants

Elizabeth Lloyd

Global Wellbeing Programme Lead

BP Lubricants

Sessions

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

Businesses increasingly appreciate that keeping travellers healthy, happy and safe is essential to meeting core strategic goals like productivity, recruitment and retention, and risk management. But how can you actually measure and then manage well-being? And can you do it without breaking the bank?

Jo Lloyd

Partner

Nina and Pinta

Jo Lloyd

Partner

Nina and Pinta

Jo Lloyd has over 25 years of experience in the corporate travel industry. Having worked across a broad range of industry sectors throughout her career, Jo is experienced in TMC, Airline Sales and Procurement environments.

Operating as an independent industry consultant for over 10 years, Jo has engaged with clients across the globe on a number of interesting and diverse projects delivering strategy, sourcing and change management.

In addition to her consulting work, Jo also writes and delivers industry training focussed on working with travel procurement, articulating value, strategic selling and negotiation skills and stakeholder influencing.

In 2015 Jo and her business partner Monique Swart founded Nina & Pinta, a strategic consulting and accredited training company.

Sessions

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

IATA’s One Order strategy has been described as “much bigger than NDC”. It will bring air travel into the digital retail age by merging a booking’s PNR, ticket and ancillary orders in a single document. Learn how this fundamental change could revolutionise your travel programme, from MI to payment to disruption management and powerful new entrants in travel distribution.

Nicola Lomas

Nicola Lomas Consultant

Principle Consultant

Nicola Lomas

Nicola Lomas Consultant

Principle Consultant

Sessions

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

Businesses increasingly appreciate that keeping travellers healthy, happy and safe is essential to meeting core strategic goals like productivity, recruitment and retention, and risk management. But how can you actually measure and then manage well-being? And can you do it without breaking the bank?

Managing the mavericks – how to handle off-channel bookings

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Managing the mavericks – how to handle off-channel bookings

Travellers booking through public websites instead of the official TMC or booking tool are unavoidable. Or are they? How can you go about bringing them back in-house? Or is it better to accept the inevitable and find ways to track their off-piste reservations instead?

Susanna Lyddon

Senior Consultant

Farnham Castle Intercultural Training

Susanna Lyddon

Senior Consultant

Farnham Castle Intercultural Training

Susanna has over 30 years' experience as a communication skills / learning and development consultant and has wide international experience. She has designed and run successful programmes for global organisations, the professions and the public sector in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the US. She is based in Salisbury, and has lived and worked in Italy, Israel, Belgium and Hungary.

She has worked extensively with a wide range of business sectors, including oil and gas, insurance and reinsurance, telecommunications, financial services, logistics, information technology, electronics, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, engineering, health and body care. food and drink, and consumer goods. She has also worked with public sector organisations and the voluntary sector.

Sessions

Join the culture club – Winning traveller and local management buy-in for your multinational programme

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

Join the culture club – Winning traveller and local management buy-in for your multinational programme

Getting stakeholders to follow your company travel programme requires very different approaches in Dubai, Dublin or Durban. What are the cultural nuances a travel manager has to understand across the world, and can they all be reconciled in a single policy and process?

Lina Margolin

Head of Business Solutions, UK

Gett

Lina Margolin

Head of Business Solutions, UK

Gett

Lina Margolin is the VP for Gett Business Solutions in the UK, leading all aspect of Gett’s corporate ground transportation technology and service which is used by more than 18,000 organisations worldwide. Lina’s expertise is in data analytics and how technology can deliver outstanding market-focussed solutions.

Lina was previously Senior Manager of Seller Growth Analytics and Compliance at eBay in San Jose, California, managing a team of consultants and leading strategic projects through a combination of advanced analytics and market research. Lina relocated to London in 2016 to build an analytics organisation that supported the growth of eBay business sellers through data driven decision making, and later added VAT compliance to her scope, which is now an increasingly important topic for EU businesses. During her time at eBay, she worked on supply and demand dynamics as well as maintaining her strong focus on technology.

Lina has previously worked in California and London, as well as her native Israel. Lina graduated from Tel Aviv University with a degree in Industrial Engineering, and holds an MBA from the University of California, LA. She joined Gett in 2018.

Ground transportation costs organisations trillions of dollars every year. But unlike almost every other cost centre, it is a little understood and often out of control expense. With organic growth under pressure, efficient management of costs remains a priority. Ground transportation, however, has proved stubbornly difficult to tackle.

In this session, Gett Business’ Solutions Lina Margolin will talk you through how to understand the true cost of your company’s ground transportation, and how abandoning cost calculations based on individual journeys is the only logical step. Sharing a total cost of ownership approach, she will guide you towards your first accurate understanding of this cost-centre.

Technology based ride-hailing services have proliferated in recent years, eclipsing both the traditional taxi and often replacing managed services. But this is just one of a number of areas where hidden costs seep into a corporation’s ground transportation cost-centre. Lina will also expose the little-understood headaches - and therefore further costs - associated with ground transportation management.

Emma Maslen

Managing Director UK&I

SAP Concur

Emma Maslen

Managing Director UK&I

SAP Concur

Emma is the Managing Director for UK&I at SAP Concur, and has spent nearly 20 years in leadership roles within the tech industry. Emma’s drive for continuous coaching, teamwork and a culture of high achievement has made SAP Concur a destination employer in the industry. Emma is passionate about helping organisations make the lives of employees easier and safer, when travelling on business, through the use of innovative technology. And helps drive diversity through her role as an executive sponsor of SAP’s Business Women’s Network.

Sessions

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

With Brexit on the horizon, no one really knows what the future holds. But whatever the outcome, your employees will still need to travel both locally and globally. And of course, duty of care should be top of mind. Whether you’re dealing with a delayed flight, lost wallet, medical emergency or tax implications from frequent travel, preparation is the key to protecting your employees. Join our panel discussion, with experts from across the travel industry, for top tips that you can take back to your business.

Marine Masters

Account Executive

Uber for Business

Marine Masters

Account Executive

Uber for Business

Marine joined Uber a year and a half ago, with her background in B2B financial sales, the move to tech with those same B2B clients has proved a smooth transition. She quotes: "Having the opportunity to contribute to the development of one of the world's leading products (Uber App) by identifying market trends set by the world's largest players....is something most could only dream of".

Sessions

How to build a future-proof travel policy

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

How to build a future-proof travel policy

As technologies change and traveller trends evolve, portions of a policy could easily, yet unintentionally, become irrelevant. But that doesn’t mean a massive overhaul is necessary every time something new comes along. All it takes is a little advance planning to develop a future-proof policy that evolves as business travel does.

In this round table, we’ll discuss what a future-proof policy looks like, why it’s important that your policy be flexible to handle changes in technology and traveller expectations, and how you can set up your travel policy to last.

Tom Maynard

Senior Director

Advito

Tom Maynard

Senior Director

Advito

Tom joined Advito in April 2018 as Senior Director working across multiple practice areas with clients in order to drive overall programme strategy and insights. Prior to joining Advito Tom was Global Travel Manager - Procurement at McKinsey & Company. Having spent time working for suppliers, TMCs and corporates in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific, Tom has broad experience and insight into the corporate travel industry.

Laura McBride

Global Travel Coordinator

Smith & Nephew

Laura McBride

Global Travel Coordinator

Smith & Nephew

Laura has 10 years procurement experience within medical and engineering industries, most recently managing the Global Travel Programme for FTSE 100 company Smith & Nephew. Her previous role was Global Procurement Analyst for global manufacturing firm ESAB Holdings.

Sessions

Me, my data and I

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

Me, my data and I

Companies of all sizes have access to huge amount of data but if you understand it properly then the potential for savings and the ability to vastly improve your programme are massive. CWT’s Chief Data Scientist, Eric Tyree will explain what’s possible for buyers and how they can change the way they view data. You will also hear first-hand how Life Science company Smith & Nephew changed their approach to data reporting and delivered savings and increased compliance.

Pat McDonagh

Chief Executive Officer

Clarity

Pat McDonagh

Chief Executive Officer

Clarity

In 2012, having previously had a successful career in Tour Operating with MyTravel, Thomas Cook and The Co-operative Travel, Pat undertook the role of Head of Business Travel for the Thomas Cook Co-operative Travel JV. Since then in his capacity of CEO he has managed the business through its acquisition by the Al Tayyar Group and it’s re-brand to Clarity Travel Management whilst transforming and growing the business through a number of significant new business wins and technology innovations and the recent acquisition and merger with Portman Travel. Clarity is a top 10 UK TMC with an annual turnover of over £440m. Through their innovative Podcast ‘Absolute Clarity’ and ‘Clarity Presents’ video series Clarity have been championing the balance between Procurement and Traveller requirements with their recent ‘Hearts and Minds’ campaign. Pat is a member of the GTMC executive board and IATA’s Global Travel Management Executive Council (GTEC) representing the TMC community both at home and overseas.

Sessions

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

Businesses increasingly appreciate that keeping travellers healthy, happy and safe is essential to meeting core strategic goals like productivity, recruitment and retention, and risk management. But how can you actually measure and then manage well-being? And can you do it without breaking the bank?

Darryl McGarvey

Director Of Channel Development

SAP Concur

Darryl McGarvey

Director Of Channel Development

SAP Concur

Daryll McGarvey is the Director Of Channel Development at Concur and is a long time influencer in the Business Travel industry. Daryll has led and managed teams at Amex and Egencia and has been successful in driving sales and account management successes for both multi-million-pound multi-national customers.

Recent studies have shown that companies are spending 7-12% of their travel expenses on ground transport. While air and hotel programmes appear to be well under control, ground transportation as a category remains hugely fragmented, and managing spend has been challenging. Technology has helped to bring this under control while also introducing services like ridesharing that consumers increasingly prefer in their personal and, now, work lives. How can companies harness new technology to stretch their budget without sacrificing employee satisfaction?

This panel of Darryl McGarvey of SAP Concur, Jo-Anne Lloyd of Nina & Pinta, and Tim Burgess of Uber for Business discusses what a ground transport programme should cover and how buyers can balance their needs with those of travellers.

Claire McKinnon

UK Sales Director

Healix International Ltd

Claire McKinnon

UK Sales Director

Healix International Ltd

With over 20 years’ experience in the assistance market, Claire has wide-ranging expertise in managing assistance programmes from her early days with Mondial Assistance where she handled many Travel Insurer accounts in the e-commerce sector as well as many Bank, Building Society and affinity programmes.

Later in her career as Market Management Director with insurer Allianz Global Assistance where progressed and delivered new assistance product development and digital propositions both in B2C and for Corporate Clients.

Now at Healix, Claire is able to use all those skills to help their clients to protect the health and security of global workforces and international travellers by mitigating risk and provide assistance services when the need for support arises. Healix clients include both the UK and New Zealand Governments, Media Organisations, Oil & Gas Companies and Travel and Expatriate Insurers.

Sessions

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Future-Proof Your Travel Programme, Without Compromising on Duty of Care

With Brexit on the horizon, no one really knows what the future holds. But whatever the outcome, your employees will still need to travel both locally and globally. And of course, duty of care should be top of mind. Whether you’re dealing with a delayed flight, lost wallet, medical emergency or tax implications from frequent travel, preparation is the key to protecting your employees. Join our panel discussion, with experts from across the travel industry, for top tips that you can take back to your business.

Samantha McKnight

Business Development Manager

LNER

Samantha McKnight

Business Development Manager

LNER

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Jo McQuade

Travel Manager

nPower

Jo McQuade

Travel Manager

nPower

Jo joined nPower in 2006, in her current role as Travel Manager for the UK. She is responsible for the operational, stakeholder and contract management, online booking tool, payment solutions and continuous improvement, with an overarching focus on travel behaviour, customer service, efficiency and security.

Sessions

Getting data protection right in a post-GDPR world

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Getting data protection right in a post-GDPR world

Now the General Data Protection Regulation has been in force for nearly a year, how has it changed strategies for managing travellers’ data privacy? Learn how to check you are doing the right thing, where you can improve and how other travel buyers have overcome the challenges around GDPR compliance.

Michael McSperrin

Head of Global Facilities & Support Services

Alexander Mann Solutions

Michael McSperrin

Head of Global Facilities & Support Services

Alexander Mann Solutions

Based in Krakow, Poland, Michael McSperrin has led the company-wide travel programme at Alexander Mann Solutions for almost 3 years. Alexander Mann Solutions is the world's leading provider of talent acquisition and management services, with their 4,000+ staff supporting large bluechip organisations around the world. Aside from travel, in his role, Michael manages over 25 offices totalling more than 200,000 sqft of commercial property office space. He also manages back-office administration support team for the senior management across the business.

He previously worked for PerkinElmer as a customer care team manager and also once headed up the sales division of a cross-European travel and tourism publisher. Prior to moving to Poland he held management and training positions at WHSmith and Carphone Warehouse.

The future has arrived in corporate travel – but taking some of your processes robotic isn’t nearly as hard or scary as it sounds. Learn how simple tools will make your programme more efficient and effective.

How to influence my C-suite and win big – A boardroom exec reveals all

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

How to influence my C-suite and win big – A boardroom exec reveals all

Whether it’s winning buy-in for your investment shopping list, or preventing unwanted tech choices being imposed from above, travel managers need to make themselves heard at the top level of their organisation. But how? A C-level executive talks through what does – and doesn’t – grab their time-precious attention and persuade them to green-light your plans.

Michael McSperrin

Global Head of Facilities

Alexander Mann Solutions

Michael McSperrin

Global Head of Facilities

Alexander Mann Solutions

John Melchoir

Partner

Hotel Comsult

John Melchoir

Partner

Hotel Comsult

John Melchior is an experienced senior executive with vast experience from all aspects of the travel industry. Experience includes senior positions in areas of general management and sales and marketing, including launching of new companies and products, responsibilities for driving change and supervision and motivation of large number of staff.

Since June 2005 JM has been a consultant to the travel industry including working with companies on distribution and marketing of hotel services. For 12 years he was consulting one of the leading hotel commission companies including several years as Head of Global Sales, and using all the experience in this field he has established a new consulting company focused on the hotel industry, Hotel Comsult Ltd. He has also joined the advisory Board of Travel Ledger, the new company using blockchain to facilitate payments in the travel industry. He has vast experience in working with Travel Companies, small and large and helping them to optimise their income through advising on strategic projects, distribution strategy, relationship management, buying and selling of companies, training programs, selecting preferred suppliers, representation work and sales and marketing projects. He has also been involved in projects aiming at enhancing further education and professionalism in the travel industry.

John Melchior has earned an international reputation as a speaker on

industry issues from his numerous appearances at conferences and

seminars around the world. He has also been used as an adviser for hotel companies and GDSs as how to increase their hotel revenue from TMCs and travel agencies.

Sessions

Making hotel and meetings payments work

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Making hotel and meetings payments work

Paying for Accommodation and meetings is a perennial nightmare for travel managers – especially if the traveller doesn’t have a corporate card. Now virtual cards and other innovations are providing some solutions. How can you tap into these new payment options?

Helder Mendes

Travel Supplier Relations Supervisor

NetJets Europe

Helder Mendes

Travel Supplier Relations Supervisor

NetJets Europe

Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Helder joined NetJets Europe in 2001, when the company decided to open its own travel department.

With previous experience in airlines, GDS and corporate travel, he contributed to the development of NetJets Europe Travel Department from the very beginning.

Since 2007 he has been dedicated to manage all range of travel suppliers, contract services, and guarantee a good operational connection between the suppliers and the booking agents.

NetJets Europe Travel Department is considered by the travel industry in Portugal as one of the most innovative in terms of processes, automation and best practices.

NetJets Travel Department was awarded 3 times as most innovative company on Corporate Travel Management in Portugal and Helder was awarded in 2011 the SVN American Express TravelStore Business Travel Awards as Travel Manager of the Year.

From June 2017, Helder started as well to manage airline suppliers for NetJets, globally.

Sessions

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

Airlines have been making much noise recently about switching to selling through New Distribution Capability channels – but buyers are still undecided on the big questions. Is it making air travel dearer or cheaper? Is there more transparency or less? Come and hear the big arguments about what NDC means for your programme.

Louise Miller

Managing Partner Americas

Areka Consulting

Louise Miller

Managing Partner Americas

Areka Consulting

Louise brings more than 30 years in the travel industry and 20 years in executive leadership to Areka Consulting. Her knowledge and experience include technology, product innovation, commercials & finance, marketing, account management and talent management. Louise started in airline and car rental industries, then she spent more than 8 years in buyer roles for aerospace and financial service companies. At BCD Travel for the past 23 years, Louise held executive level positions and reported to the CEO. Louise brings broad business and industry knowledge and a global solutions mindset to Areka and our customers. Louise earned her Bachelor of Science - Summa Cum Laude from LaRoche College in Pennsylvania. In addition to their two adult sons, Louise her husband Richard host several international high school and college students from Latin America.

Sessions

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

Underpinning your travel programme with monolithic, one-size-fits-all, end-to-end technology is so last-century! Today, you need to plug, play and integrate traveller and management tools from a wide variety of established tech players and start-ups. That’s the theory, but what’s the benefit and how can companies with all sizes of travel spend do it in practice?

Sharon Moore

UK and Ireland Industry Technical Leader for Travel & Transportation

IBM

Sharon Moore

UK and Ireland Industry Technical Leader for Travel & Transportation

IBM

Sharon Moore MBE has recently stepped into the role of IBM's CTO for Public Sector UK, from her previous technical leadership role in Travel & Transportation. She marries the vision of industry with the potential of technology and the breadth of IBM, to transform technical capability into real business results. As well as using this to assist IBM’s growth in this area, she has also been seen as a thought leader and spoken at several conferences across the UK on the use of technology to increase effectiveness, efficiency and customer impact. Sharon is recognised for her thought leadership and you will often find her on stage discussing the impact and value of AI, data, IOT and Blockchain.

Sharon is also a board member of CENSIS, the Innovation Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems, and a board member for Byte Night in Scotland.

Sharon was honoured with an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours 2018 for services to women in technology based industries, and presented with the 'Inspirational Women in Leadership' award at the inaugural Scotland Women in Technology Awards 2017. She found herself in the Computer Weekly Top 50 Women of Influence in 2016, 2017 and 2018. She leads BCSWomen in Scotland, and is their Deputy Chair across the UK. She was also elected as a board member of Scotland Women in Technology in their relaunch in 2017.

Sessions

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

Predictive analytics is tipped to sharpen pretty much every aspect of the way companies manage their travel, from supplier negotiations to steering traveller behaviour to keep employees safe on the road? What is this new science and how is it being applied in practice to corporate travel?

Carine Morin

Global Airline Lead & EMEA Travel Manager

Eli Lilly

Carine Morin

Global Airline Lead & EMEA Travel Manager

Eli Lilly

Carine is the Travel Manager in Eli Lilly and Company, looking after the EMEA Region as part of the Global Travel Services Team since 2014. She is responsible for the Travel Program focusing on customer experience, compliance and cost savings and the Global Airline Program Lead.

Bringing Travel knowledge and experience to the Lilly Global Travel Team allowed Carine to strengthen relationships with external suppliers and internal stakeholders, as well as reinforcing the Travel Program regionally with specific focus on Business Travel. Carine’s experiences in leading teams, change management, business partnering, and project management serve her well in her leadership role of managing Lilly’s Travel Program. Currently she is continuing the optimization efforts of the Global Airline Program.

Carine graduated from ESHOR with a degree in Tourism and Travel Services in 2002. She’s been working in the hospitality and Travel industry for 15 years and her career has also included working for Group RCI holding a variety of Travel Services positions.

Sessions

Inside Track – Life as a multinational travel manager

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Inside Track – Life as a multinational travel manager

Managing travel across borders is tough – and our speakers have the scars to prove it! Two multinational travel managers interview each other about how they overcome the cultural, technical and many other challenges they face on a daily basis.

Yvonne Moya

Principal

FESTIVE ROAD

Yvonne Moya

Principal

FESTIVE ROAD

Yvonne started her career on the TMC side with American Express as Reengineering and Process Specialist before moving over to the Travel Management and buyer side of the corporate travel universe. Starting off at Deutsche Telekom, she had the chance to build up a Travel- and Meetings team from scratch. Interested in the whole travel supply chain, she then moved over to IBM and for the first two years started on the consulting side and worked as an outsourced EMEA Category Lead for Travel and Events for Goodyear Dunlop Tires. She then took over the EMEA Agency and Card lead position for IBM before she moved to Unilever in 2010. She has been managing the whole Travel, Fleet and Meetings area of the award-winning program, firstly from a Procurement perspective and responsibility, from 2014 onwards as Global Director for the whole category. In October 2017, she joined Business Travel Consultancy FESTIVE ROAD and is now helping and supporting both, buyers and suppliers to recreate, innovate and rethink corporate travel.

Sessions

The Future is Now - Real-world examples of how emerging technology is simplifying the travel experience

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

The Future is Now - Real-world examples of how emerging technology is simplifying the travel experience

Following Ben Vinod’s keynote on day 1, this panel of experts will discuss how emerging technologies – such as AI, machine learning and customer segmentation – can be used to simplify and personalise the customer experience. We’ll hear exciting real-world examples from both in- and outside the travel industry, and how the travel experience is likely to change as these technologies become more widely adopted.

Tear up your policy! - Switching to AI and other technology to drive traveller compliance

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Tear up your policy! - Switching to AI and other technology to drive traveller compliance

A fast-changing supplier landscape and even faster changing tech options makes it time to take a fresh look at every aspect of getting travellers to do the right thing before, during and after a trip. Come and learn new ideas from our masterclass professionals and your peers in the industry.

Audrey Muir

Corporate Travel Manager

Baillie Gifford

Audrey Muir

Corporate Travel Manager

Baillie Gifford

Audrey is the Corporate Travel Manager at Baillie Gifford & Co. Having joined Baillie Gifford in 2010, her Job role is to provide the company with an efficient, cost effective, reliable and excellent standard of corporate travel management. Her responsibilities include management of the overall travel programme and policy. Audrey manages an internal travel team and is responsible for all supplier negotiations and relationships. Audrey has been in the travel industry for more than 25 years and has had various roles in leisure travel, hotels, airline and tour operation. She worked for the tour operator/airline Globespan Group plc for 17 years prior to joining Baillie Gifford. Audrey also holds the position of Vice-Chair for ITM and is a judge for the Business Travel People Awards.

Sessions

Ten quick wins to get you started in travel management

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Ten quick wins to get you started in travel management

Getting a travel programme off the ground or reinventing the current one? Join this session for a quick-start guide to the key facets of managed travel: from safety, policy, performance, risk and more — discover what you can do to ensure your programme is in tip-top condition.

Claire Mulligan

Partner

Kennedys

Claire Mulligan

Partner

Kennedys

Head of Kennedys’ travel team, since 2012 Claire has been listed as a 'Super Lawyer' in the Telegraph's rankings in the field of Travel and Transport. Since 2000, she has been consistently listed in Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500, as a ‘leading lawyer’ in the fields of travel litigation and defendant injury litigation. She has been retained by TUI (Thomson Holidays), and a number of other high profile tour operators since 1995.

Claire has been advising the Travel and Tourism industry for over 20 years on all manner of issues and litigation, including the Tunisian Terrorist Attack Inquests, hotel accidents, overseas accidents and injuries whilst on holiday, drowning’s and catastrophic injuries sustained in pools or from balcony falls, hurricanes, mountaineering and climbing accidents, and sickness outbreaks.

Claire provides a 24/7 crisis response service to a number of corporate tourism clients and has handled a wide range of incidents including child abduction/disappearance from a hotel, child drownings, polar bear mauling, Panorama coverage of alleged abuse, the UK’s largest hotel fire in Newquay, and provides Crisis Management Workshops and Crisis Management assistance to over 100 Tour Operators and Agents.

Claire’s team are winners for Transport: Firm (Specialism) of the Year – for ‘Travel’ in The Legal 500 UK Awards 2017 and Claire was named as Best UK Travel Lawyer by bestlawyers.com in 2018. The team currently act for over 400 tour operators and agents

Li Muraliskrishnan

Director, Office of the COO

Panasonic Avionics Corporation

Li Muraliskrishnan

Director, Office of the COO

Panasonic Avionics Corporation

Li Muralikrishnan is the Director of Corporate Services and manage Global Travel program at Panasonic Avionics. He has been with Panasonic for the past twenty years in various roles & responsibilities. Travel program at Panasonic has won several recognition within its global Panasonic family and takes pride in introducing the modern trends, such as dynamic monitoring along with continuing the traditional values of Travel Customer first. “We sincerely care for our travelers’ safety and provide a flawless execution with first time right through leveraging technology”..

Li completed his Executive Management program at the UCLA Anderson Business college and is a certified GTP from GBTA. Music is his passion. He enjoys playing the South Indian Lute Veena (similar to popularly known Sitar) in his leisure time and has performed at the prestigious venues such as Sidney Opera house and Carnegie Hall.

Heidi Myers

Head of Marketing EMEA

Uber for Business

Heidi Myers

Head of Marketing EMEA

Uber for Business

As Head of Marketing, EMEA for Uber for Business Heidi is responsible for building a full-stack B2B marketing function from scratch to support an EMEA wide, multi-product, multi-channel business to drive revenue, brand awareness, scale the digital business - managing a customer-centric strategy to help businesses discover, unlock and maximise the opportunities of using Uber for their business. Previously Heidi worked for various advertising agencies focussing on through the line campaigns and most recently worked at Meltwater, where she held various titles including MD San Francisco and Marketing Director for the EMEA region. In her role as Marketing Director, she grew the EMEA Marketing team from the ground up to generate 10% of the total EMEA business revenue in 2016. Heidi graduated with honours from the University of Wales, Swansea with a BA in Ancient History and holds a CIM diploma.

Recent studies have shown that companies are spending 7-12% of their travel expenses on ground transport. While air and hotel programmes appear to be well under control, ground transportation as a category remains hugely fragmented, and managing spend has been challenging. Technology has helped to bring this under control while also introducing services like ridesharing that consumers increasingly prefer in their personal and, now, work lives. How can companies harness new technology to stretch their budget without sacrificing employee satisfaction?

This panel of Darryl McGarvey of SAP Concur, Jo-Anne Lloyd of Nina & Pinta, and Tim Burgess of Uber for Business discusses what a ground transport programme should cover and how buyers can balance their needs with those of travellers.

Future proof your ground travel duty of care

20 February at 11:00 - 11:30

20 February at 11:00 - 11:30

Future proof your ground travel duty of care

Ground travel is the last thing to gain any attention in our travel programmes. While we want to have control, visibility, and spend management, it hasn’t been a priority to source a solution. Many travel managers know the amount they are spending on their ground travel every year—but in terms of why employees took that exact taxi, and whether they are really in- policy and legitimate, it continues to be a black hole. So how can travel managers maintain control over ground travel duty of care when there is so much unknown?

In this round table discussion, we’ll focus on why ground transportation is an important category to look into, how it can be integrated into existing programmes and technology, and the newest solutions to this duty of care black hole.

Katharina Navarro

Travel Manager Europe

Capgemini

Katharina Navarro

Travel Manager Europe

Capgemini

As Travel Manager EMEA Katharina had strategic and operational ownership of the United Technologies Corporation (UTC) travel program in the EMEA region. Across a complex setup of over 300 local entities in more than 30 countries she created global synergies all the while ensuring local program acceptance. Katharina managed supplier contracts and relationships for travel agency and booking tools, corporate card, airlines, hotels, car rental, GDS and the emergency assistance provider.

To ensure continuous engagement and communication with her >8000 travellers Katharina built a strong internal network with key functional stakeholders, cooperated with internal audit and setup standard work around travel products and processes.

A German native, Katharina has established her home base in Paris, France.

Sessions

Benchmarking – How do I check how well my travel programme is doing?

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Benchmarking – How do I check how well my travel programme is doing?

Comparing your own travel programme with what your peers are doing is vital to understanding where you need to make improvements. But where do you go to get your benchmarks, what should you be measuring and how do you avoid drawing misleading conclusions. Put your head together with other travel managers to find the right answers.

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

TMCs don’t use standard data formats – and that makes consolidating management information from multiple TMCs a nightmare. Can buyers work together to create a set of standards themselves? Let’s make a start at this high-level workshop session! Plus: how can we get TMCs to provide better insights into traveller behaviour and total trip cost?

Matt Oakley

Senior Director, Client Development, UK SMN

SAP Concur

Matt Oakley

Senior Director, Client Development, UK SMN

SAP Concur

Matthew Oakley is UK Senior Director of the SMN Client Development team at SAP Concur. Matthew has over 10 years’ experience working with organisations on a range of outsourced technology and service led improvement projects, especially within finance departments. Matthew and his team are committed to ensuring their customers have the insights they need to make better business decisions, while at the same time making overall expenses and supplier invoice processes easier for employees. In Matthew's spare time you can find him dodging the parental duties that come with having two young children.

Sessions

How Can Businesses Balance What Travellers Want With What the Business Needs?

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

How Can Businesses Balance What Travellers Want With What the Business Needs?

Employees now have a world of travel options at their fingertips and they expect the same flexibility when they travel for business. But how can businesses offer the experience travellers want while maintaining spend visibility, compliance with policies and ensuring duty of care requirements are met?

Join this session for practical advice on how you can balance these often competing needs and to understand how a connected travel and expense process can give the business the visibility and control it requires.

Ray Ollivere

Head of Strategic Operations

Travel and Transport Statesman

Ray Ollivere

Head of Strategic Operations

Travel and Transport Statesman

A travel management professional with some 30+ years experience in roles spanning Operations, Systems Development, Account Management, Process Development and Supplier Relations. Currently a key responsibility is leading the NDC project within Travel and Transport Statesman.

Sessions

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

Come and sit around the tech table where Travelport and players across the value chain will discuss the state of play of NDC, how the shift to this new era of distribution is progressing and what challenges are yet to be faced by the industry to achieve IATA’s objectives.

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

This will be an interactive panel session led by Travelport's NDC Senior Program Director, Will Owen Hughes. Joined by other leading industry partners and travel agents, this panel session will explore the digitalization of the industry and the creation of commercial possibilities to build on NDC, how to make NDC work for all travel players all while improving the services provided to the end-traveller.

Douglas O'Neill

CEO

Inntel

Douglas O'Neill

CEO

Inntel

Douglas O’Neill started his professional career as a Solicitor, specialising in offshore tax and trust advice, spending 3 years in Jersey and 7 years in London working for global Solicitor’s firms. Douglas made a dramatic career change in 2001 moving to Inntel, a leading UK provider of meetings, accommodation, event management and business travel services.

Douglas is now the CEO and owner of Inntel, which employs over 125 staff at its headquarters in the South of England. Since he took over the business in 2001, annual turnover has grown organically by over 400% and is now over £65 million. Inntel’s clients are some of the UK’s largest organisations and include FTSE100. The company completes over 300,000 transactions annually and develops market leading technology specifically for their clients.

Douglas takes on many voluntary industry positions. He is currently on the advisory panel for the UK’s largest Meetings conference and the UK’s largest Business Travel conference. In 2016 he was elected Chair of the GBTA Europe Meetings Committee. His role is to ensure GBTA Europe maintain a focus on Meetings & Events content throughout its education, training and white paper activity.

In his spare time O’Neill enjoys running and especially completing marathons, 15 to date. He also has a passion for the hills and completed a 214 mile cycle and running race across Scotland in 2016 and in 2015 he climbed the three highest peaks in the UK in the single day. Many of these activities are to raise money for local charities, including St Helena Hospice in Colchester and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice.

Will Owen Hughes

Senior Program Director, New Distribution

Travelport

Will Owen Hughes

Senior Program Director, New Distribution

Travelport

Based out of Travelport’s UK headquarters as Senior Program Director, New Distribution, Will leads a cross functional team working on the transformation of Travelport’s air retailing and selling capabilities with a focus on IATA New Distribution Capability (NDC).

Since joining Travelport in 1999 Will has held several senior commercial positions which included heading up the Middle East and Africa team and developing the company’s global LCC strategy.

Will previously worked within the airline industry at British Mediterranean Airways (BMED, which later became a British Airways franchise partner) as it started-up operations from London Heathrow.

Will graduated from the University of Leeds, UK, with a honors degree in Biology.

Sessions

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

This will be an interactive panel session led by Travelport's NDC Senior Program Director, Will Owen Hughes. Joined by other leading industry partners and travel agents, this panel session will explore the digitalization of the industry and the creation of commercial possibilities to build on NDC, how to make NDC work for all travel players all while improving the services provided to the end-traveller.

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

Come and sit around the tech table where Travelport and players across the value chain will discuss the state of play of NDC, how the shift to this new era of distribution is progressing and what challenges are yet to be faced by the industry to achieve IATA’s objectives.

Jafles Pacheco

Head of Global Travel

Oerlikon

Jafles Pacheco

Head of Global Travel

Oerlikon

Sessions

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Stars of the East – getting to grips with managing travel in China and India

China and India are becoming hugely important elements of multinational corporations’ global travel programmes. But managing travel in these two vast, fast-changing markets doesn’t work the same way as in Europe. Our experts give the low-down on how to get them just right.

Inside Track – How I manage our air and hotel programmes

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Inside Track – How I manage our air and hotel programmes

The format couldn’t be simpler – or more revealing! Two travel managers interview each other about every aspect of working with their most important suppliers – from vendor negotiations to getting travellers to follow the preferred supplier programme.

Jill Palmer

CEO

Click Travel

Jill Palmer

CEO

Click Travel

Jill Palmer joined Birmingham based Click Travel in 2012 as Operations Director, becoming CEO in 2017. During this time Click grew from a £30m company with 70 employees to a £200m company with a workforce of over 240.

Prior to this, she held a number of senior management positions at some of the world’s largest companies including Customer Operations Director at Mercedez-Benz, as well as 3 Non-Executive Directorships in the public sector including the Department of Transport and DEFRA.

Sessions

Using data for improved savings and control

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Using data for improved savings and control

Management information is central to every aspect of travel management, from identifying supplier negotiation opportunities to monitoring traveller compliance and tracking employees in the event of an emergency. But where do you source your Data and how do you analyse and act on it? We explain the basics that will give you maximum savings and control.

Ben Park

Director Procurement & Travel

PAREXEL

Ben Park

Director Procurement & Travel

PAREXEL

As PAREXEL’s Director Procurement & Travel, Ben manages the PAREXEL Global Travel team and is responsible for the strategic direction and overall management of the company’s worldwide travel program. Based in Berlin, Ben has consolidated his company’s global travel program to include 48 countries over the past years with a strong focus on balancing service and savings within the travel program.

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

Tear up your policy! - Switching to AI and other technology to drive traveller compliance

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Tear up your policy! - Switching to AI and other technology to drive traveller compliance

A fast-changing supplier landscape and even faster changing tech options makes it time to take a fresh look at every aspect of getting travellers to do the right thing before, during and after a trip. Come and learn new ideas from our masterclass professionals and your peers in the industry.

Adrian Parkes

Chief Executive

Guild of Travel Management Companies

Adrian Parkes

Chief Executive

Guild of Travel Management Companies

Adrian Parkes joined the GTMC as its chief executive officer in September 2017 following over 20 years in senior leadership roles in the airline and business travel sectors. Adrian was most recently Director of Product and Marketing for Clarity following the merger with Portman in November 2016, where latterly Adrian was Commercial Director. Adrian’s experience also spans many years in the airline sector, spending 3 years based in Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways as vice president, global sales and in various senior roles at bmi (British Midland) for 11 years, rising to the role of commercial director on the airlines operating board.

Prior to working in the travel industry, Adrian held various senior management sales and distribution roles in the FMCG industry.

Sessions

Choosing a travel management company and other partners

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Choosing a travel management company and other partners

TMCs and hotel booking agencies streamline the booking process and help you gain control and visibility of your entire travel spend. But with hundreds of service providers to choose from, how do you find the one that’s right for you, and how do you structure the relationship to get the very best results?

Matt Parsons

Editor

Buying Business Travel

Matt Parsons

Editor

Buying Business Travel

Matthew Parsons became editor of Buying Business Travel in March last year, and his priority is informing and engaging BBT’s readership of top corporate travel and meetings buyers. In 2018 he was named Business Travel Editor of the Year at the Business Travel Journalism Awards.

Previous roles include positions at Travel Trade Gazette, where he was technology editor. Prior to that, he has held editorial roles at media companies UBM, Informa and Commercial Aviation Media.

Sessions

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

With safety, savings and service being the main concerns for travel buyers, it can be surprising to find taxi travel often left off the agenda within corporate travel policies. As the traditional expense model makes way for more sophisticated mobility requirements, on demand transport networks are thankfully now primed to deliver. During this session our panel of travel experts will discuss how a defined ground transport policy can help businesses control costs, improve traveller wellbeing and increase passenger safety, alongside the potential pitfalls to ignoring this crucial mode of transport.

Jay Patel

UK Head of Sales & Partnership Management

AirPlus International

Jay Patel

UK Head of Sales & Partnership Management

AirPlus International

As head of AirPlus's UK & Ireland Account Management and Sales Support division, Jay ensures the highest level of service to clients.

With 7 years’ experience of working within the corporate travel payments sector, Jay has worked within a range of industries including sport & leisure, retail, transport, hospitality and manufacturing. Jay has dedicated his time to help organisations manage the payment and reconciliation of their corporate travel spend in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible.

Sessions

Innovating through Traveller-centricity

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Innovating through Traveller-centricity

The millennial workforce is no stranger to travelling, and is certainly not afraid of new disruptive technologies. The Business Travel community is now seeing the entrance of these millennials into the workplace, and as such these tech-savvy, travellers have ever-changing expectations when it comes to travel policies. Cookie-cutter global solutions can sometimes be viewed as restrictive and frustrating. In this changing landscape, we feel it is increasingly important to engage with your travellers and to start putting them at the heart of what you do.

We believe that inspiring individuality in the traveller can be the starting point to bring Business Travel in to the 21st Century.

Taking the time to listen to your travellers can uncover some incredible opportunities for innovation; In this session, we’ll take a look at new start-ups that place the traveller at the very heart of their ethos, and assess the latest technologies that can help us innovate within our industry, from booking to payment to expense.

Sean Patrick

Tactical Intelligence Analyst

Solace Global

Sean Patrick

Tactical Intelligence Analyst

Solace Global

Sean is a Tactical Intelligence Analyst at Solace Global, where he coordinates intelligence, including travel risk research, production of bespoke detailed pieces and the overseeing of country report production, to support client’s operations globally. Sean has worked in the industry and alongside government agencies for many years before joining Solace and has a degree in Intelligence and Security Studies (with distinction) from Brunel University in London. An important part of Sean’s role is to assess future risks and trends; looking at how both ongoing and onetime events can impact a country’s stability and the safety of travellers. Key to this is an ability to horizon scan to help identify and assess what risks travellers will face in the coming year.

Sean has travelled extensively to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. By doing so, Sean has learnt the need for travel advice to be practical and flexible; as even the best made plans can easily fall apart. Additionally, having grown up a British citizen in France, Sean has a unique viewpoint on what leaving the EU will mean for Britain, British travellers and both British and EU expats living on either side of the channel.

Sessions

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

What’s going to happen to air and hotel pricing in the year ahead? And what and where are the major risk hotspots likely to be? Don’t miss our ever-popular crystal ball session that sets out what every travel manager should be thinking about for the rest of 2019 and beyond.

Karla Pearce

European Marketing Manager, Hospitality Cloud

Cvent

Karla Pearce

European Marketing Manager, Hospitality Cloud

Cvent

An Award-winning marketer and public relations professional Karla has over 10 years’ experience in marketing, public relations, partnerships, mobile and social media both in the UK and globally. She has worked as an integral part of travel and hospitality companies within the areas of Marketing and PR, creating communication and sales strategies while working for leading luxury brands including international hotel chains and restaurants. Karla thrives in dynamic situations and was the winner of the 2013 Young Marketer of the year award granted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Hotel Marketing Association.

Sessions

10 Ways to Thrive During Corporate Travel Negotiations

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

10 Ways to Thrive During Corporate Travel Negotiations

Cvent recently conducted an independent research study with travel managers across Europe. Join this session to hear key findings and learn how to be more efficient and effective in the negotiation process for your travel programme. Whether you are a travel manager sourcing room nights globally, or a hotel manager finding the right revenue balance, this session will help you know more about what is important for your counterpart and how to achieve a win-win scenario for both parties.

Key things Takeaways:

What are the key things crucial for both travel and hotel corporate managers

Insights and trends on the corporate travel world

Tips for a win-win negotiation

Highlights from Cvent’s recent travel managers research study

Andy Pemberton

Furthr

Director

Andy Pemberton

Furthr

Director

Andy Pemberton is an award-winning writer and editor in both London and New York; he’s editorial director on the Lombard Odier account for Y&R and director of his own agency, Furthr. Andy is a sought-after trainer, running international workshops on data visualisation and writing for business for Guardian Masterclasses, the European commission, E-consultancy and the Home Office. He is a judge at the Campaign Tech Awards 2019.

Sessions

Get what you want by telling data stories

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Get what you want by telling data stories

Whether it’s your travellers, senior management or suppliers, there are increasingly powerful ways to make your business case with simple data visuals. Our experts help you think about what stories you should tell and the tools can you use to tell them.

Christophe Peymirat

RGM

Uber for Business, EMEA

Christophe Peymirat

RGM

Uber for Business, EMEA

Christophe Peymirat is the RGM of Uber for Business, EMEA and joined the company 6 months ago from Egencia where he most recently held the position of Chief Commercial Officer. As one of the founding members of Egencia, Christophe held several senior positions at Egencia, including Vice President of Global Marketing and Vice President / Managing Director Operations in the United Kingdom. In his early career, Christophe started as a sales and marketing executive at L'Oréal. He then worked as a business consultant at Bain & Company. Christophe graduated from the HEC School of Management in Paris.

Mark Plowright

Head of Business Development

LNER

Mark Plowright

Head of Business Development

LNER

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Marijke Poppink

Owner/Corporate Travel Expert

Poppink TRVL Projects

Marijke Poppink

Owner/Corporate Travel Expert

Poppink TRVL Projects

Marijke has worked in the Business Travel Industry for 30 years, she worked for several TMC’s and moved to the corporate site in 2000, where she created an in-house travel department for Elsevier/RELX. She won the ETBA award in 2010 “Best technology used in a travel program” for a combined tailor made Online & Requesting tool for Elsevier. She loves technology and embraces innovation. She served on several advisory boards like ACTE, BTS, BTiQ, Amadeus. After 17 years of being a corporate travel manager, she became an independent consultant in 2017, working on multiple business travel projects, sharing her extensive knowledge with corporations.

Sessions

Reduce hotel costs by getting your rate right

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

Reduce hotel costs by getting your rate right

Negotiated deals, dynamic rates, chainwide rates, OTA rates ... finding the right blend of rate types and sources for your hotel programme is becoming harder and harder. How do you figure out the right strategy for your accommodation needs?

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Buyers’ revolution – let’s take back control of our data!

TMCs don’t use standard data formats – and that makes consolidating management information from multiple TMCs a nightmare. Can buyers work together to create a set of standards themselves? Let’s make a start at this high-level workshop session! Plus: how can we get TMCs to provide better insights into traveller behaviour and total trip cost?

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

What are the new skills I need to win as a travel manager?

The range of skills and knowledge needed by successful travel managers is widening more than ever. Data science, technology strategising, marketing and HR are all becoming increasing parts of the mix, not forgetting procurement, finance and good old-fashioned emotional intelligence. Why is it all changing and how can you acquire the skill set you’ll need to thrive in the 2020s?

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

Chris Pouney

Global Category Manager – Travel, Meetings & Expense

Centrica

Chris Pouney

Global Category Manager – Travel, Meetings & Expense

Centrica

Chris has more than 25 years' experience within corporate travel as a supplier, buyer and consultant. As Head of Travel for Centrica PLC, an international energy & services company, Chris leads a team transforming the travel category to deliver a modern, safe, efficient and cost effective travel program for the company's travelling population.

In 2015, Chris was named as a 'top industry influencer' by Buying Business Travel Magazine, in part, for his work in producing ground breaking white papers on how to manage business travel in both the Middle East and in Africa.

Chris holds an MSc. in Strategic Procurement and is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) where he is a branch Vice Chair.

Sessions

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

Airlines have been making much noise recently about switching to selling through New Distribution Capability channels – but buyers are still undecided on the big questions. Is it making air travel dearer or cheaper? Is there more transparency or less? Come and hear the big arguments about what NDC means for your programme.

Rene Proske

CEO

Proske

Rene Proske

CEO

Proske

When it comes to Strategic Meetings Management, René is the one to know. He's worked his way through all touch points from the ground up, be it operative, marketing, strategy or HR; René really knows what makes a business tick. He's poured into Proske years of passion and sustained a productive and collaborative environment for all employees. Before joining Proske, René studied travel and tourism and worked with DER Travel Agencies and Tour Operators as well as landing key roles in global marketing and sales functions within the finance industry. Under René’s leadership Proske has become one of the leading family-owned European businesses in the industry.

Mel Quinn

Commercial Director

Amber Road

Mel Quinn

Commercial Director

Amber Road

Mel Quinn worked for over 20 years in commercial aviation, most recently at Etihad Airways. Having worked in collaboration for a number of years with travel management companies and corporate customers, she joined Amber Road 3 years ago to create the world’s first travel partnership company. Core to the vision of Amber Road is building end to end services through a network of trusted partners to deliver inspired, positive and rewarding experiences to customers that last long after the business trip. Passionate about service and the customer journey, Mel continues to build a portfolio of partners to ensure that customers are not just safe, but arrive in the best shape to do business.

Sessions

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

With safety, savings and service being the main concerns for travel buyers, it can be surprising to find taxi travel often left off the agenda within corporate travel policies. As the traditional expense model makes way for more sophisticated mobility requirements, on demand transport networks are thankfully now primed to deliver. During this session our panel of travel experts will discuss how a defined ground transport policy can help businesses control costs, improve traveller wellbeing and increase passenger safety, alongside the potential pitfalls to ignoring this crucial mode of transport.

Carol Randall

Founding and Managing Director

Sage Travel Consulting

Carol Randall

Founding and Managing Director

Sage Travel Consulting

Carol is the owner of Sage Travel Consulting, an independent ‘hands on’ consulting firm specialising in corporate travel / meetings & events. Carol holds 25+ years of relevant industry experience, which is drawn upon to provide support to corporate clients which helps them manage, expand and improve their travel programmes.

Carol has been consulting with clients in this challenging sector for the past 10 years, working with organisations of varying sizes of travel programme scope – global, regional, national, big and small. Carol specialises in travel RFPs and implementations, along with travel policy and operational reviews. Recently, Carol was engaged by a global client to actively lead the multi-national implementation of a new TMC travel supplier into 70+ countries, 33 of which included the implementation of an online booking tool.

Sessions

Breaking up is hard to do – How to switch travel service providers with less headaches

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

Breaking up is hard to do – How to switch travel service providers with less headaches

Whether it’s your TMC, booking tool or expense provider, moving from one vendor to another can often be a stressful experience. What are the smart moves that you can you make to ensure the smoothest possible handover and achieve maximum co-operation from the service provider you are leaving behind?

How to write a smarter travel management strategy

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

19 February at 15:15 - 16:15

How to write a smarter travel management strategy

Experienced travel managers are increasingly drafting fresh strategies for their travel programmes, whether it’s to meet the demands of senior management or give themselves a masterplan for the years ahead. But what should go into your strategy, and where do you find the big vision to guide your thinking? Our leading expert guides you through creating this vital document.

Dr Lucy Rattrie

Chartered Psychologist & Lecturer / Researcher

Creating Sona & University of Stirling

Dr Lucy Rattrie

Chartered Psychologist & Lecturer / Researcher

Creating Sona & University of Stirling

Lucy is a Chartered Psychologist, with a Ph.D. on business traveller wellbeing and a passion to create health, happiness and wellbeing in workplaces around the world.

She lectures and conducts research to uncover new, inspiring insights that are truly valuable; is a certified psychological coach in emotional intelligence, values, performance, stress, health and wellbeing; loves using her knowledge to help professionals who travel for work (e.g. frequent flyers, business travellers, airline staff, expatriates etc.) to achieve healthy bodies, happy minds, energised connections, positive living and successful working; plus working with organisations to improve capability, synergistically integrating science to enhance wellbeing of people, cultures and approaches.

She is published in top journals on topics of health, happiness and wellbeing, is a Community Lead and member with International Positive Psychology Association’s Work and Organizational Division, a member of the British Psychological Society, International Society Coaching Psychology and European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology.

Lucy lives and breathes wellbeing - including as a part-time TV presenter on adventure sports, writing occasionally for newspapers/magazines on the topic, even appearing on the front cover of the biggest selling triathlon magazine. She clears the mind with medicinal nutrition, trail running, mountain sports and training for iron-man triathlon, balanced with yoga, exploring the world and burying her head in books.

Sessions

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to improve traveller well-being without harming your travel budget

Businesses increasingly appreciate that keeping travellers healthy, happy and safe is essential to meeting core strategic goals like productivity, recruitment and retention, and risk management. But how can you actually measure and then manage well-being? And can you do it without breaking the bank?

Paul Raymond

Director of Strategic Relationships

Conferma

Paul Raymond

Director of Strategic Relationships

Conferma

Sessions

The Future is Now - Real-world examples of how emerging technology is simplifying the travel experience

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

The Future is Now - Real-world examples of how emerging technology is simplifying the travel experience

Following Ben Vinod’s keynote on day 1, this panel of experts will discuss how emerging technologies – such as AI, machine learning and customer segmentation – can be used to simplify and personalise the customer experience. We’ll hear exciting real-world examples from both in- and outside the travel industry, and how the travel experience is likely to change as these technologies become more widely adopted.

Mike Reilly

Account Manager

Barclaycard Commercial

Mike Reilly

Account Manager

Barclaycard Commercial

I have worked as a Barclaycard Commercial Account Manager for 11 years, in the last 5 years specifically managing business and retail travel agents. Having worked with some of the largest Business Travel customers I have experience in consulting on how customers can achieve their objectives by streamlining their reconciliation and payment processes.

Previously I worked at American Express for 13 years, making my way up from operations to implementation sales and account management. This provided me with detailed knowledge of the process to pay customer experience which I have used to help clients and understanding their needs.

Sessions

Payment innovation and the impact on the Corporate Travel Programme

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

21 February at 14:30 - 15:30

Payment innovation and the impact on the Corporate Travel Programme

Hear from the payment experts at Barclaycard discussing the changing landscape of payment and key trends including:

The changing landscape of payment and key trends (including regulation) Key Barclaycard innovation – contactless, wearables, virtual etc… Consumerisation of travel -> virtual -> digital Enabling the eco-system The connected traveller journey and how our payment solutions support the corporate buyer and the traveller at each stage of the journey.

Martin Reynolds

Senior Product Manager

Travelport

Martin Reynolds

Senior Product Manager

Travelport

Rod Richardson

Rod Richardson

Sessions

Breaking up is hard to do – How to switch travel service providers with less headaches

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

Breaking up is hard to do – How to switch travel service providers with less headaches

Whether it’s your TMC, booking tool or expense provider, moving from one vendor to another can often be a stressful experience. What are the smart moves that you can you make to ensure the smoothest possible handover and achieve maximum co-operation from the service provider you are leaving behind?

Leanne Riley

Business Development Manager

CMAC Group

Leanne Riley

Business Development Manager

CMAC Group

With experience developing new business and managing relationships within both vehicle rental and taxi markets, Leanne’s extensive career has supported a wide range of customers with their ground transportation needs in a variety of industries.

Leanne’s customer focused approach has led to several organisations building ground transportation policies into mature travel programmes. From early adoption through to taxi travel becoming intrinsic to business traveller’s behaviours, Leanne supports travel managers in finding the most appropriate ground transportation options, underpinned by an ethos of delivering service, safety and savings.

Sessions

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Ground Transportation’s role in the future of Corporate Mobility

With safety, savings and service being the main concerns for travel buyers, it can be surprising to find taxi travel often left off the agenda within corporate travel policies. As the traditional expense model makes way for more sophisticated mobility requirements, on demand transport networks are thankfully now primed to deliver. During this session our panel of travel experts will discuss how a defined ground transport policy can help businesses control costs, improve traveller wellbeing and increase passenger safety, alongside the potential pitfalls to ignoring this crucial mode of transport.

Irma Rinkel

Travel Manager

Bluewater Energy Services

Irma Rinkel

Travel Manager

Bluewater Energy Services

Irma has worked in the Business Travel Industry for 20 years. She worked for several TMC’s before she joined Bluewater Energy Services as Travel Manager in 2008. She is responsible for the in-house travel department, the overall travel program and policy. Main drivers for her and her team are excellent service, efficiency for the traveller and cost effectiveness for the company.

Irma served on the board of NATM, the Netherlands Association for Travel Management, between 2012 and 2018 and was chairman 2014 – 2018. In 2016 she joined the Travel Manager Advisory Group, an initiative by IATA to engage the corporate travel buyer community.

Emily Roberts

Managing Director, Risk

Solace Global

Emily Roberts

Managing Director, Risk

Solace Global

Jef Robinson

Category Manager, Meetings & Events

Citrix

Jef Robinson

Category Manager, Meetings & Events

Citrix

Jef is a Global Category Manager for Citrix Systems, the international software organisation with offices in almost 50 countries. He is responsible for meetings & events procurement strategy and development, plus supports travel management including management of hotel relationships. His goal is continuous improvement, selling the concept of best practice solutions to a variety of stakeholders. He is a member of CIPS and ITM and achieved Meetings & Events Travel Manager Award 2018, and was a judge at the Business Travel Journalism Awards in 2017 and 2018.

Sessions

Dangerous liaisons – How to de-risk your meetings programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Dangerous liaisons – How to de-risk your meetings programme

Businesses prevent more than a couple of senior executives flying together but happily let hundreds of their top people gather at meetings with minimal or zero safety precautions. Come away with an essential checklist of how to start managing risk more effectively for your events and conferences.

Nikki Rogan

Global Travel Manager

Synamedia

Nikki Rogan

Global Travel Manager

Synamedia

Nikki Rogan is an independent consultant specialising in corporate business travel. She recently joined newly formed Synamedia as Global Travel Manager following an interim assignment as Category Manager for Global Travel at Petrofac where she led the business through a global travel tender.

Prior to consulting, Nikki was the Global Travel manager at Symantec, responsible for the strategic management of the global travel programme in 35 countries. This included the management of the overall programme and policy, supplier relationship management, process efficiency, driving savings, customer experience, mitigating risk and managing an internal team. Whilst in this position Nikki was awarded the ITM 2017 Multi-National Travel Manager of the year award.

Nikki has been in the business travel industry for the last 19 years, starting her career with travel management companies CWT and HRG prior to joining Symantec Corporation in 2006.

Sessions

Managing the mavericks – how to handle off-channel bookings

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Managing the mavericks – how to handle off-channel bookings

Travellers booking through public websites instead of the official TMC or booking tool are unavoidable. Or are they? How can you go about bringing them back in-house? Or is it better to accept the inevitable and find ways to track their off-piste reservations instead?

Ben Rowe

Group Procurement Manager

VolkerWessels UK (VWUK)

Ben Rowe

Group Procurement Manager

VolkerWessels UK (VWUK)

Ben joined VWUK 5 years ago. Previously he has worked for leading Tier 1 UK contractors Kier/May Gurney and McNicholas. Ben has been in procurement for more than 20 years and holds MBA and MCIPS qualifications.

VWUK is a circa £1bn turnover infrastructure contractor delivering solutions to rail, highways, airports and ports across the UK. The company operates a number of limited companies under the VWUK group, including VolkerFitzpatrick, Highways, Stevin, Rail and Laser. With an annual procurement spend of around £700m, Ben’s core responsibility is ensuring best value and excellent service delivery for £100m per annum of category management that covers core / everyday requirements such as building and civils materials, plant, facilities management, travel and hotels.

Sessions

Using data for improved savings and control

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Using data for improved savings and control

Management information is central to every aspect of travel management, from identifying supplier negotiation opportunities to monitoring traveller compliance and tracking employees in the event of an emergency. But where do you source your Data and how do you analyse and act on it? We explain the basics that will give you maximum savings and control.

Raj Sachdave

Managing Partner

Black Box Partnerships LLP

Raj Sachdave

Managing Partner

Black Box Partnerships LLP

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Isabelle Salau

Regional Director Global Sales UK, Ireland & France

Marriott International

Isabelle Salau

Regional Director Global Sales UK, Ireland & France

Marriott International

Isabelle Salau has held the position of Regional Director UKI & France at Global Sales Europe since September 2017. In her role she is responsible for developing multi segmentstrategies in order to shift account share, drive the overall sales performance of the GSO offices deployed in London & Paris and increase market share for Marriott.

Isabelle joined Marriott in 2011 as an Account Director and was quickly promoted to Director Global Sales, France. In this role, she headed up the Marriott Global Sales team in France looking after all business segments and developing strategic partnerships with key accounts. In 2016, Isabelle’s achievements were recognised when she was announced as the Global Sales Leader of the Year!

During her career, Isabelle has held numerous on property, cluster level and Global Sales roles in key European markets for different International hotel chains. Isabelle benefits from multi segment & cultural experiences and has an in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry.

She speaks 4 different languages (French, English, German and Spanish) and holds a Bachelor’s degree of Science in International Hospitality Management from Ecole hotelière de Lausanne.

Human beings can only deal with a limited amount of complexity when making decisions. Ignoring how different variables interact can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Daniel has empowered decision makers to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence to make full use of the wealth of data today’s technology makes available to us, turning decisions deeper and more robust, making growth figures stronger.

Currently also a core member of the Ethics Committee of DataKind UK where he supports charities and governmental organisations in their data ethics maturity path so that they can be proactive in setting a good example of use of data and avoid short and long term unintended consequences for themselves and humanity.

Daniel has a combined background in psychology, economics and data science and worked with tech leaders in the US, Europe and Asia which allows him to think of every data challenge from multiple perspectives.

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

Oana Savu

Manager, Industry Distribution Programs Adoption (NDC & ONE Order)

IATA

Oana Savu

Manager, Industry Distribution Programs Adoption (NDC & ONE Order)

IATA

Oana works at International Air Transport Association (IATA) overseeing the industry adoption and engagement on NDC and ONE Order and supporting early adopters in their ONE Order strategy and implementation. Oana started her career with Amadeus working on different products and solutions including the NDC initiative and transformation.

With over 11 years’ experience in the air transportation industry, she has a vast knowledge in airlines' core business processes and solutions related to passenger service and accounting. Passionate about travel industry, she is determined to help airlines to change the face of air travel.

Sessions

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

IATA’s One Order strategy has been described as “much bigger than NDC”. It will bring air travel into the digital retail age by merging a booking’s PNR, ticket and ancillary orders in a single document. Learn how this fundamental change could revolutionise your travel programme, from MI to payment to disruption management and powerful new entrants in travel distribution.

Peter Scranney

Head of Retail Partnerships

Rail Delivery Group

Peter Scranney

Head of Retail Partnerships

Rail Delivery Group

Sessions

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

The Rail Revolution – why evolution in the industry means rail simply must be part of your travel programme

Rail has long been seen as the poor relation within the travel industry, sometimes overlooked in an organisation’s structured travel programme. Join our panel of buyers, TMC partners and industry specialists to understand why now more than ever, rail needs to be a part of your programme. Hear from the experts about best practice, how you can integrate rail and how you can work with train operators such as LNER to get the best value for your travellers.

Paul Shepherd

Founder

We Build Bots

Paul Shepherd

Founder

We Build Bots

Paul Shepherd is the founder and CEO of We Build Bots. WBB was spun out of Fast Grow 50 agency Coup Media in August 2017, having been incubated for 18 months. Since then, they have become Certified Oracle Cloud partners and winners of numerous technology awards for innovation. Their signature customer service platform 'IntelAgent' is currently deployed with clients

including Amnesty International, The AA and Bacardi. Later this year they are due to launch their fan engagement platform 'AGAME.ai' having identified an opportunity within the sports fan engagement market through their work with a top European soccer club, AS Roma.

The future has arrived in corporate travel – but taking some of your processes robotic isn’t nearly as hard or scary as it sounds. Learn how simple tools will make your programme more efficient and effective.

Dominic Short

Business Travel Purchase

Senior Project Manager

Dominic Short

Business Travel Purchase

Senior Project Manager

Dominic Short joined Business Travel Purchase on 1. November 2018 as Senior Project Manager for mandates in the business travel management and MICE field. Before that Dominic was the Global Category Manager for Travel at Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Ltd. Between October 2015 and November 2018 he designed, developed and implemented Takeda’s first tailor made business travel ecosystem which stretched across 71 countries and served 35’000 Takeda employees.

Originally from the airline industry with 12 years (1989 – 2001) in demanding sales roles at Swissair Dominic can now draw expertise from 30 years in business travel management, MICE and marketing.

Before joining Takeda he acted as Managing Director for the Zurich office of the MCI Group. In this role Dominic Short was in charge of leading his team to design and deliver inspiring events, meetings and conferences for both the private and the public sector. He further supported regional and international companies and associations to launch new products, build brand loyalty, reach new markets and reward top performance.

Dominic represents Switzerland in the European Council of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, ACTE.

Sessions

Managing the mavericks – how to handle off-channel bookings

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Managing the mavericks – how to handle off-channel bookings

Travellers booking through public websites instead of the official TMC or booking tool are unavoidable. Or are they? How can you go about bringing them back in-house? Or is it better to accept the inevitable and find ways to track their off-piste reservations instead?

Dr. Christian Spieker

Head of Corporate Services

ZEB

Dr. Christian Spieker

Head of Corporate Services

ZEB

Dr. Christian Spieker is the Head of Corporate Services for zeb. Among other duties he is responsible for global procurement and travel management for the zeb group.

zeb is the number one strategy and management consultancy for financial services with 17 offices across Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. With over 1,000 employees zeb supports its clients—including national banks, private banks, savings banks, cooperative banks and insurance companies—along the entire value chain. As a partner for change, zeb aims to improve the performance and competitive strength of their clients. zeb offers tailored and flexible consultancy expertise—from strategy, restructuring and sales to corporate management, human capital and IT.

Christian holds a M.Litt. Degree from the University of St. Andrews, UK and a PhD from the University of Basle, Switzerland. Before joining zeb, he worked in the banking industry mainly in Project Management. He is member of serveral adivisory boards within the travel industry. Christian is married with two grown up children living in Berlin.

In the spirit of ‘essentialism’, what are the fundamentals when it comes to running a successful multi-country travel programme from a Travel Management and Procurement perspective?

Jean Squires

Senior Principal Account Manager

Cvent

Jean Squires

Senior Principal Account Manager

Cvent

Jean has over 25 years’ experience in the travel industry, starting with airlines before moving to Hogg Robinson Travel where she eventually became Head of Hotel Consulting, managing the sourcing, negotiation and delivery of numerous hotel programmes for clients as diverse as Ericsson, Astra Zeneca, MARS, Shell, KPMG, HSBC and Rolls Royce plc.

She also worked on Travel Policy development and projects associated with sourcing for other travel categories including work on the fundamentals of Strategic Meetings Management.

Jean joined Lanyon in 2011 where her specialist skills and experience in this category continued to help clients achieve process improvements and overall cost savings through effective use of appropriate tools and services, strong negotiation and focused compliance management.

Jean has written a number of White Papers and delivered Webinars on strategic sourcing for both Transient and Meetings programmes.

Following the merger of Lanyon and Cvent she is now a senior member of the Enterprise Account Management team. Her current client portfolio includes BP, British Airways, UBS, Takeda, Adidas, Rothschild, SwissRe, UCB and AIG.

Jean is a graduate of Durham University and has an MBA from Oxford Brookes University.

Sessions

How to get your business booking meetings smarter

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

How to get your business booking meetings smarter

Companies could save so much more if only meetings organisers took more intelligent buying decisions. How can you work more consultatively with your bookers on cost-reducing measures like smarter booking (shorter lead times, for example), meeting location optimisation and T&Cs?

The Future of Business Transient

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

The Future of Business Transient

Rate sourcing for the Business Transient Hotel Rate programme is still a key project for many Travel Managers but the process has not evolved as fast as the industry it is intended to serve. Increasingly questions are asked about the purpose and value of the process….so why does it persist?

Does it still have a valid purpose within hospitality spend management? What options / alternatives are there? How can the process be improved and what benefits could this bring?

Ian Stephens

Senior Consultant

Advito

Ian Stephens

Senior Consultant

Advito

Ian Stephens is a Senior Consultant within Advito’s Hotel Management practice. Prior to moving to Advito Ian ran his own travel Consulting business for 5 years providing operational support and advice to Business Travel companies and clients alike. Before this Ian worked for various TMCs in a variety of senior roles which focused on the development and delivery of hotel programmes and products to large multi-national corporate clients. Ian combines in depth industry experience and consultative expertise to deliver a service that meets the strategic goals of the corporate customer.

Sessions

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

What’s going to happen to air and hotel pricing in the year ahead? And what and where are the major risk hotspots likely to be? Don’t miss our ever-popular crystal ball session that sets out what every travel manager should be thinking about for the rest of 2019 and beyond.

Philip Stewart

Founder and Director of Intelligence

Tapis Intelligence

Philip Stewart

Founder and Director of Intelligence

Tapis Intelligence

Philip Stewart is a co-founder of Tapis Intelligence, an innovative, online network of local analysts based around the World providing ground-truth intelligence to clients in a range of fields. With a career in Government service and then as Global Security Director for Adam Smith International and PwC, Philip has over 20 years experience of managing risk and security issues for major companies, with a particular focus on travel security in high risk environments. Business travellers today face increasing threats and instability and a proliferation of unreliable news and social media sources, all of which present issues for remote security management. Tapis seeks to cut through this by providing genuine ground-truth from analysts immersed in their local environments, while ensuring an ethical approach with fair reward for our global consultants.

Sessions

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

Brexit, Trump, trade wars, oil price, Russia, China ... there’s no shortage of major trends on the world stage with the potential to disrupt corporate travel wherever you are based. Learn how the big issues might play out over the next few months and what you can do to future-shock your managed programme.

Florian Storp

Head of Business Travel Committee

DRV

Florian Storp

Head of Business Travel Committee

DRV

Florian Storp is Vice President Central Europe and has been with GBT since March 1, 2016. His main responsibilities include strengthening GBT’s market position in, among other places, Germany and increasing the visibility of the world’s largest business travel provider. Previously, Florian Storp spent ten years with the business travel provider Egencia in Munich, where he headed the business in Germany. For several years, he worked as a key account manager, in operations and as a sales manager for American Express Global Business Travel.

Florian Storp on Twitter: twitter.com/florianstorp.

Sessions

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

20 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Brexit and the global risk outlook – What do fast-shifting changes in geo-politics mean for business travel?

Brexit, Trump, trade wars, oil price, Russia, China ... there’s no shortage of major trends on the world stage with the potential to disrupt corporate travel wherever you are based. Learn how the big issues might play out over the next few months and what you can do to future-shock your managed programme.

Robert Strange

Head of Solution Architecture N/EMEA

Elastic

Robert Strange

Head of Solution Architecture N/EMEA

Elastic

Rob has worked in Technology and data analytics for over 12 years. He has worked as a consultant for various UK government departments focusing on technology strategy and the delivery of data platforms. Prior to joining Elastic he worked for a fraud focused start-up as the CTO focusing on know your customer (KYC) fraud analytics. Now at Elastic he runs the Solution Architecture team across N/EMEA helping customers with small and large scale data analytics.

Sessions

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

20 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Predictive analytics – What does it mean and can it improve your travel programme?

Predictive analytics is tipped to sharpen pretty much every aspect of the way companies manage their travel, from supplier negotiations to steering traveller behaviour to keep employees safe on the road? What is this new science and how is it being applied in practice to corporate travel?

Jacob Sylvest Andersen

Lead Solution Architect

Travel Operations

Jacob Sylvest Andersen

Lead Solution Architect

Travel Operations

With more than ten years of experience in helping customers in several industries to achieve Digital Transformation, Jacob Sylvest Andersen is now with TravelOperations focusing on helping Travel Businesses utilize the power of the Microsoft Dynamics Cloud offerings. Throughout the years, Jacob has worked with a wide range of companies scaling from small to some of the biggest enterprises in the world. His qualifications cover Business Analysis, IT and ERP strategy, Sales and Implementation. Jacob believes that problems can be complicated but solutions should not be. For him it is important to always seek for simple and efficient solutions that challenge routines.

Peter Taylorson

Chief Commercial Officer

Optimum ROI

Peter Taylorson

Chief Commercial Officer

Optimum ROI

Peter is Chief Commercial Officer at Optimum ROI, where he leads commercial planning and execution as the company looks to implement a fast growth strategy worldwide. Peter is passionate about innovation and believes that travel, perhaps more so than other industries, is on the cusp of a true technological revolution. Peter sees an exciting time for Travel Technologies as they look to bridge and combine AI developments with human capabilities like teamwork, creativity and intuition.

His mission is to build products that users want and love, based on platforms that enable the best omni-channel experience in business travel.

Christophe is an accomplished leader with demonstrated career success in managing large, international development teams and complex multi-year programs. He joined GBT from Amadeus, where he held a number of roles of increasing responsibility on their Research and Development team, most recently serving as the Head of R&D Services and Ecosystems, and Departure Control Systems.

Sessions

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

Successfully delivering NDC’s 2020 vision

Come and sit around the tech table where Travelport and players across the value chain will discuss the state of play of NDC, how the shift to this new era of distribution is progressing and what challenges are yet to be faced by the industry to achieve IATA’s objectives.

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

20 February at 16:00 - 17:00

NDC – What, Why, How and the Journey to 2020

This will be an interactive panel session led by Travelport's NDC Senior Program Director, Will Owen Hughes. Joined by other leading industry partners and travel agents, this panel session will explore the digitalization of the industry and the creation of commercial possibilities to build on NDC, how to make NDC work for all travel players all while improving the services provided to the end-traveller.

Earle Thomas

Associate Director – Procurement

Buro Happold

Earle Thomas

Associate Director – Procurement

Buro Happold

Earle Thomas. MBA. FCMI. MCIPS has held management roles in an SME, Public Sector, FTSE100 and is currently working for Buro Happold Limited, an internationally renowned engineering consultancy, where he has strategic responsibility for the Global Travel Programme. An experienced stakeholder manager and Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Earle has managed international supply chains as well as negotiated and managed associated contracts spanning countries including North America, Taiwan, China, Japan, Italy and Germany. As an experienced negotiator he has a deep understanding of English Contract Law. His work foundation was 9 years’ service as a Royal Marines Commando specialising in Electronic Engineering.

Sessions

Solving the challenge of booking non-employee travel

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Solving the challenge of booking non-employee travel

Companies are increasingly using contractors, consultants, gig-economy workers and other non-regular employees, heaping up challenging complexities for travel managers. How do you deal with GDPR obligations, or the financial risk of 'hidden employees' if travel becomes a taxable benefit in kind? A leading tax consultant and travel manager explain how you can keep these people moving while also keeping your business compliant.

Breaking up is hard to do – How to switch travel service providers with less headaches

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

Breaking up is hard to do – How to switch travel service providers with less headaches

Whether it’s your TMC, booking tool or expense provider, moving from one vendor to another can often be a stressful experience. What are the smart moves that you can you make to ensure the smoothest possible handover and achieve maximum co-operation from the service provider you are leaving behind?

Gareth Thomas

Senoir Associate

Kennedy Slaw

Gareth Thomas

Senoir Associate

Kennedy Slaw

Gareth is a qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2012

Gareth is a Senior Associate in Kennedys’ London office, who trained at an insurance practice and has completed a secondment with a global cruise company.

He represents tour operators, cruise liners, charities insurers and other travel companies in a variety of fast track, multi-track and catastrophic injury claims. Claims usually involve the Package Travel Regulations and the Athens and Montreal Conventions but he has also advised on cases that involve jurisdictional issues and Rome II.

Gareth has also acted on commercial litigation involving companies in multiple jurisdictions and has been successful in a number of such cases in recovering damages for clients from companies in other jurisdictions.

He has advised travel companies in respect of crisis response to a variety of situations including natural disaster, war, civil unrest and illness outbreak. He is also a regular speaker at industry events.

Gareth is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).

Sessions

Getting data protection right in a post-GDPR world

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

20 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Getting data protection right in a post-GDPR world

Now the General Data Protection Regulation has been in force for nearly a year, how has it changed strategies for managing travellers’ data privacy? Learn how to check you are doing the right thing, where you can improve and how other travel buyers have overcome the challenges around GDPR compliance.

Johnny Thorsen

VR Travel Strategy & Partnerships

mezi.com

Johnny Thorsen

VR Travel Strategy & Partnerships

mezi.com

Johnny Thorsen is the VP for Global Travel Strategy and Partnerships for Mezi, the Silicon Valley based AI Chatbot startup acquired by American Express Company in January 2018

Before joining Mezi in May 2017, Johnny was the Senior Director for Value Services for SAP Digital Interconnect based in Silicon Valley, focusing on the creation of new cloud-based enterprise solutions based on current and future mobile technologies.

Prior to joining SAP Mobile Services, Johnny was the co-founder and CEO of conTgo, a UK based startup acquired by Concur in March 2013.

Prior to launching conTgo Johnny held senior positions in the travel technology industry with major players such as Travelport, Sabre, GetThere, HRG and CWT.

In addition to his daytime job with Mezi, Johnny serves as a global board member with ACTE and as a Strategic advisor for multiple startups within the wider travel industry.

Business Travel News named Johnny Thorsen one of the 25 most influential people in the business travel industry in 2018 and 2010.

There’s been lots of hype about new, disruptive digital technologies. But what difference will they make in practice to your core travel management functions like sourcing, policy and risk reduction? Our panel breaks through the hype to tell you what’s really on offer today and what’s coming just around the corner.

Paul Tilstone

Founder and Managing Partner

Festive Road

Paul Tilstone

Founder and Managing Partner

Festive Road

Paul started his career in travel management company (TMC) sales & marketing roles for the business travel sector in 1993. In 2005 he took up the post of CEO for the UK & Ireland’s Institute of Travel & Meetings (ITM) where he developed research, sustainability projects and industry affairs. He then launched the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in Europe in 2010, moving to SVP Global Development in 2012 with a brief to develop GBTA regions outside of the USA. In 2013, he also became deputy editor of Global Business Travel magazine.

In 2015 he launched consultancy Festive Road, www.festive-road.com

He has been listed in the UK’s Buying Business Travel Hotlist and twice listed as one of the world’s top 25 business travel industry influencers by the Business Travel News, USA, for work in advocacy and sustainability.

In 2017 he was appointed to the GBTA board as the first ever elected international director. He is based in Surrey in the UK.

Sessions

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Get ready for One Order to transform business travel

IATA’s One Order strategy has been described as “much bigger than NDC”. It will bring air travel into the digital retail age by merging a booking’s PNR, ticket and ancillary orders in a single document. Learn how this fundamental change could revolutionise your travel programme, from MI to payment to disruption management and powerful new entrants in travel distribution.

Cyrill Ting

Global Category Manager

AB InBev

Cyrill Ting

Global Category Manager

AB InBev

Cyrill Ting is the Global Non-Commercial Indirects Category Manager at AB InBev. In this role, Cyrill is responsible for the strategic sourcing of AB InBev’s global Travel spend, in addition to other spend categories.

AB InBev is the world’s leading brewer, bringing people together for a better world with a diverse portfolio of well over 500 beer brands including global brands Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois. AB InBev is a publicly traded company based in Leuven, Belgium.

Prior to joining AB InBev in 2018, Cyrill worked at Amcor as a Commercial Account Manager. He previously worked for 5 years at Procter & Gamble as Senior Purchasing Manager in the field of Contract Manufacturing.

Cyrill holds a Master’s Degree in International Management from the University of Lausanne (HEC), a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration of the University of Saint Gallen (HSG) and is author of the book “Employer Branding and the Employee Life-Cycle: How to become an attractive employer”.

In the spirit of ‘essentialism’, what are the fundamentals when it comes to running a successful multi-country travel programme from a Travel Management and Procurement perspective?

Sebastien Touraine

Head, ONE Order Program

IATA

Sebastien Touraine

Head, ONE Order Program

IATA

Mr. Touraine is Head of IATA ONE Order initiative aiming at modernizing the order, delivery and accounting processes in the airline industry. After developing the vision of IATA New Distribution Capability during its inception, he now leads this ambitious industry transformation program that will streamline many industry processes so that air travel industry can innovate further. He joined IATA Geneva office in 2005 in the Airline Consulting division.

Prior to that, he worked at Swiss in Zurich in Network Planning and Pricing & Revenue Management departments. He started his carrier as pricing analyst at Air France and as an intern with United Airlines in Chicago. Mr. Touraine holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile in Toulouse (France).

Dr Eric Tyree

Chief Data Scientist

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Dr Eric Tyree

Chief Data Scientist

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Dr Eric Tyree is the Chief Data Scientist at Carlson Wagonlit Travel responsible for developing new, data driven products and services for the corporate travel industry. With a career spanning over 20 years, Eric has led the development of a wide range of data driven applications and businesses involving travel, consumer segmentation/profiling, personalisation, HR/people analytics, algorithmic trading, fund management, fraud detection and compliance. Eric is experienced in building and leading high performance organizations and has worked with a wide range of companies ranging from some of the largest corporate institutions in the world to helping develop start-ups from the ground up.

Sessions

Me, my data and I

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

Me, my data and I

Companies of all sizes have access to huge amount of data but if you understand it properly then the potential for savings and the ability to vastly improve your programme are massive. CWT’s Chief Data Scientist, Eric Tyree will explain what’s possible for buyers and how they can change the way they view data. You will also hear first-hand how Life Science company Smith & Nephew changed their approach to data reporting and delivered savings and increased compliance.

Kushad Ulje

Head of Process Development

Travel and Transport Statesman

Kushad Ulje

Head of Process Development

Travel and Transport Statesman

As Head of Process Development, Kush Ulje oversees the development, implementation and adoption of all customer-facing technology at Travel and Transport Statesman. Having worked for 10 years in the Netherlands and Switzerland as a psychiatric nurse, Kush is well-versed in handling complex problems with subtlety and care. A year spent travelling across Asia and Europe inspired Kush to join the travel industry, starting out in various roles at Swissair and the Qualiflyer Group. He then joined FCm in operations before transitioning to online implementations.

In 2011 Kush took up responsibility for online at Travel and Transport Statesman, advancing quickly to extend his duties across implementations, booking systems, agent tools and processes.

An avid technologist and experimenter at heart, Kush loves to help others do more with technology. When it’s time to disconnect, he’s an advocate of exploring the outdoors across the UK and Europe with his devices left safely at home.

Sessions

Online booking and expense management – how to choose it, how to implement it, how to maximise adoption

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Online booking and expense management – how to choose it, how to implement it, how to maximise adoption

There are many online booking and expense management tools to choose from. Which one is right for you? And once you’ve chosen the best technology for your company, what then? We walk you through the steps that will boost compliance and generate news savings for your business.

Sessions

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

21 February at 13:00 - 14:00

Forecasting Forum 2019 – The travel price and risk outlook for the next 12 months

What’s going to happen to air and hotel pricing in the year ahead? And what and where are the major risk hotspots likely to be? Don’t miss our ever-popular crystal ball session that sets out what every travel manager should be thinking about for the rest of 2019 and beyond.

Sessions

The Future is Now - Real-world examples of how emerging technology is simplifying the travel experience

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

21 February at 11:00 - 11:30

The Future is Now - Real-world examples of how emerging technology is simplifying the travel experience

Following Ben Vinod’s keynote on day 1, this panel of experts will discuss how emerging technologies – such as AI, machine learning and customer segmentation – can be used to simplify and personalise the customer experience. We’ll hear exciting real-world examples from both in- and outside the travel industry, and how the travel experience is likely to change as these technologies become more widely adopted.

The Future is Now – Using emerging technology for competitive advantage in business travel

20 February at 13:30 - 14:00

20 February at 13:30 - 14:00

The Future is Now – Using emerging technology for competitive advantage in business travel

The future of AI and machine learning is here, and can solve a growing dilemma for corporations. Of the 225 billion shops for business travel in 2018, many were made outside of corporate booking tools; the growing demand from business travellers for seamless personalisation is putting increasing strain on costs, policy compliance and duty of care for corporations. Join Sabre’s chief scientist, Ben Vinod, as he reveals how Sabre is developing new AI and machine learning capabilities – and how these are likely to transform the travel experience for both companies and their travellers.

Sarosh Waghmar

WTMC

Sarosh Waghmar

WTMC

Sarosh Waghmar is the CEO of WTMC, a travel management company focused on building a next generation booking platform using NDC. WTMC counts several unicorns and industry mavericks among many others as its clients.

Sessions

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

20 February at 14:30 - 15:30

NDC – Will travel buyers win or lose?

Airlines have been making much noise recently about switching to selling through New Distribution Capability channels – but buyers are still undecided on the big questions. Is it making air travel dearer or cheaper? Is there more transparency or less? Come and hear the big arguments about what NDC means for your programme.

Max Waldmann

CEO

Conichi

Max Waldmann

CEO

Conichi

After studying Business at the University of Bath and Singapore Management University, Max worked for international companies such as KPMG and Kleinwort Benson. Upon spending a year in Afghanistan, working with the Supreme Group, he decided to seek an opportunity in the digital space. max joined a Venture Capital Firm and later Rocket Internet, before he started to work on a Southeast Asian travel project for Google Singapore. Entrepreneurial by nature, Max founded his first employment service company in 2007. In 2014 he launched conichi, an award-winning travel tech company based in Berlin, where he currently works as the Chief Executive Officer.

Sessions

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

19 February at 13:45 - 15:00

Fit for the future – Creating an agile travel platform

Underpinning your travel programme with monolithic, one-size-fits-all, end-to-end technology is so last-century! Today, you need to plug, play and integrate traveller and management tools from a wide variety of established tech players and start-ups. That’s the theory, but what’s the benefit and how can companies with all sizes of travel spend do it in practice?

Matthew Webb

Business Intelligence Manager

Travelport

Matthew Webb

Business Intelligence Manager

Travelport

Matthew Webb holds the position Data and Analytics Manager for Travelport
OTA customers and is responsible for commercial OTA data strategy. Since joining Travelport in 2014, Matthew has held a variety of data and analytical roles across technology, product and commercial departments, which have involved analysing data to provide business units with actionable insights capable of delivering meaningful improvements to the customer experience. Prior to Travelport, Matthew worked in several industries including manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, and held roles including Assistant Accountant and Analytics Consultant.

Mark Williams

Partner and Chief Financial Officer

Dots and Lines

Mark Williams

Partner and Chief Financial Officer

Dots and Lines

Mark is a Partner and the Chief Financial Officer of Dots & Lines LLC, an independent marketing consultancy. Dots & Lines provides services including marketing strategy, public relations, brand management, and event marketing, among others, to clients. Prior to joining Dots & Lines, Mark was the founding partner of GoldSpring Consulting, a travel consultancy specializing in the practice of optimizing travel management for corporations and other organizations.

Mark has held previous positions as a Principal at Advito, the consulting division of BCD Travel, and at IBM in the Business Transformation Outsourcing practice where he was responsible for client-facing activities including the development and implementation of strategic sourcing.

Mark has 25 years of experience in business travel management, beginning in the late 1980s working for WorldTravel Partners (now BCD Travel), followed by 10 years as the Director of Travel for Price Waterhouse and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Prior to his work in travel management, Mark worked for Price Waterhouse in the tax practice where he was responsible for federal and state income tax planning for several major corporate and individual clients. Mark began his career in the front office of the Atlanta Braves where he was responsible for various accounting functions in the baseball operation.

Mark is a Certified Public Accountant, has a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from Wake Forest University, a Master of Taxation degree from Georgia State University, and is a former president of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).

Sessions

Too much information! – How to find what you need when you’re drowning in data

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

21 February at 11:30 - 12:30

Too much information! – How to find what you need when you’re drowning in data

Data, and lots of it, is becoming more and more available in our world of corporate travel, but the proper use of this data and turning it into valuable information is the key to all our success. Learn how to find the golden needles in the haystack.

Katharine currently serves as the Co-Chair of the GBTA Ladders Media & Communications Committee and was a member of the winning Ladders team in 2017. She also previously served as a member of the WINiT Conference & Event Planning Committee and was a WINiT mentee from 2016 to 2017.

Prior to taking the helm at Dots & Lines, Katharine served as the Director of Marketing and Communications for GoldSpring Consulting. She joined the company in June 2015 after receiving her MBA from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Sessions

Effective communications strategies for corporate buyers

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

19 February at 16:30 - 17:30

Effective communications strategies for corporate buyers

The success of your travel programme is all about communicating compelling, behaviour-changing messages to your different kinds of 'customer'. And now new digital technologies are making both talking and listening even smarter. Learn how you can engage more powerfully with senior leadership, travellers and other critical stakeholders.

Lesley Woodsford

Global Programme Director

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Lesley Woodsford

Global Programme Director

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Lesley has spent the past two years as a Global Programme Director at CWT leading a team managing a Healthcare client. Prior to this she worked in both the UK and Global Programme Management teams. Lesley is strong on client relationship and communication and enjoys being part of a global travel team with daily interaction delivering on our agreed goals, ensuring they provide both savings and added value to the client travel programme.

Sessions

Me, my data and I

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

21 February at 13:00 - 13:45

Me, my data and I

Companies of all sizes have access to huge amount of data but if you understand it properly then the potential for savings and the ability to vastly improve your programme are massive. CWT’s Chief Data Scientist, Eric Tyree will explain what’s possible for buyers and how they can change the way they view data. You will also hear first-hand how Life Science company Smith & Nephew changed their approach to data reporting and delivered savings and increased compliance.

Clive Wratten

Chief Executive Officer

Amber Road

Clive Wratten

Chief Executive Officer

Amber Road

Clive Wratten was appointed to the position of CEO for Amber Road on December 21, 2015, bringing more than 20 years of travel industry expertise to the role. Since joining the company, Clive has re-branded the company as Amber Road and established its position as a contemporary Travel Partnership Company.

Before joining Amber Road, Clive was General Manager, UK at Etihad Airways where he was responsible for building the airlines UK profile. Before joining Etihad, Clive was the UK General Manager for Gulf Air. Clive has also held senior sales roles with HRG, Qantas and was multinational business development manager for British Airways.

Clive is a member of the GTMC Executive committee, and chair of the Air Strategy Group. He has been a Director of the Board of Airline Representatives UK, a Council Member of IATA’s Airline Joint Passenger Committee as an agent and as an airline member, and an advisor to the Board at the BCNH UK College of Nutrition.

Sessions

Negotiating the best savings and value with travel suppliers

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

21 February at 10:00 - 11:00

Negotiating the best savings and value with travel suppliers

Buyers can achieve substantial discounts and other benefits through negotiating deals with airlines, hotels, car rental companies and ground transportation providers. But you’ll only land a good agreement if you prepare the right way, know what to ask for and can deliver what suppliers are looking for. Learn exactly what it takes to nail the ideal agreement for your company.